King of Anything
by tmntfan4eva
Summary: She was the new girl at school. He was the age old troublemaker. Neither want anything to do with the other. But as an old saying goes, change is inevitable.
1. Not You

**I'm telling you, juggling is quite enjoyable. I'm no longer stuck to one specific category. I have more options! :D Anyway, this one's dxc and the one I predict to be the longest of the three. So dxc fans rejoice. lol**

It was the first day of school, the first day after the move, the first day to start anew…and she hated it. She'd loved her old home, school, and tight nit group of straight A friends. She hadn't wanted to leave, not even a little. But they, her parents, didn't listen. Despite the countless hours she'd spent protesting, blackmailing, and purposefully failing school they ignored her. The didn't care about her opinion. They only cared about themselves. At least that's what they'd basically told her. They'd said 'Honey, it'll be fun. A new opportunity, an aid to your resume.' When she complained about this answer, they replied simply, 'This place is old, tired, worn, boring. You're to young to understand it, but in the end you'll love it too. Trust us.' She pretended to trust them, but deep down she loathed the idea more then ever. She practically wanted to pull out a knife and stab the both of them for their bull crap. Only she didn't. She took a deep breath, told herself that the satisfaction wasn't worth the price she'd have to pay and went on. And that is how she wound up stuck in this screwed up mess. They drew her to the car with the enticement of a fake contest for gifted students, held her down once, halfway there, she fully realized the malarkey of their words, and then shoved her out onto her butt on the new driveway upon arrival. They asked her to help unpack after she quite pitching a visible fit, knowing all the while she'd say no. And she did. She gave them a dirty look and stomped into the house, up the stairs, and into what she deemed to be her room, slamming the door after her. This was where she was now too after a long night of restless sleep. Sleep being used very loosely.

The slender brunette sighed irritably, the realization of where she was setting in on her. She glared out the window at the burning sun, despising the light after what felt like so little time. Already there was a negative to pile up on the list of crap. She rolled over to her right then, glancing at the clock. Seven o'clock. "Damn it…" she cursed under her breath, rolling back to face the wall. "Five more minutes…" she breathed, conscience fading in an instant, unlike the rest of the night before, due to the wonderful fact that brains liked to piss people off by making it easier to sleep when one couldn't.

It didn't feel like but a minute when the sound of her mother's high pitched voice pierced the silence and Courtney's in the process of forming dream. "Courtneeeeyyy!" When, in the next thirty seconds, there was no response, another yell issued. "GET. UP." the door flew open, slamming back against the wall with incredible force.

Courtney jolted up into a sitting position, screaming, "I didn't do it! I swear!" She was clutching her hands to her chest, finding it hard to keep the delicate forms from shaking uncontrollably. She then tentatively moved her gaze from in front of her to her blonde haired, green eyed mother, a scowl forming. She was no longer quite so scared of the dream, knowing it had not been real. At least not completely. Some of it, unbeknownst to her, had or would truly happen to her and her family. "What?" Courtney hissed, eyes narrowed into slits.

"Don't what me!" her mother snapped. "You know how important it is to be on time for school! Especially the first day!" she whined, sighing irritably in a way identical to her not so alike looking daughter. "You **must** be perfect." she added, hands clenched into tight fists.

Courtney emitted a low threatening growl as a warning to her foolhardy mother. "I don't care." She answered curtly, looking back to the window which still sent a beam of blinding light into her beautiful emerald green eyes. She cringed at it, having forgotten that the positioning of this god forsaken room sucked worse then ever.

Her mothers eyes shot open wide. "W-What?" she choked out, shakes working their way into her body, but not from sadness or fear, it was due to pure anger. "You did not just say that." she hissed, looking about ready to explode. But her mothers anger didn't faze her. She was so used to it that it was the equivalent of something as natural as eating. So as her mother went on and on and on she merely zoned herself out. She didn't want to hear what her mother had to say.

"Shut up mom!" Courtney snapped, hopping off the bed to her feet. "I'm going!" she didn't agree to get ready because she was giving in to the annoyance that was her mom, she agreed because she missed school. The summer was so depressing for her that, despite her newfound hate of her new surroundings, she couldn't stay away. No matter how badly rolling over would please her she couldn't let herself do it. She needed a way to forget the shittiness that was her life. And she was finally grasping the fact school was her way out. "So get!" Courtney bellowed, pointing at the door, venom dripping from her words as well as her body language not matter how odd the latter sounds.

Her mother glared at her a minute more before snorting indifferently at her daughter and turning about sharply on her heel. It wasn't to noticeable, but as she slammed the door back shut her middle finger flipped up, visible to Courtney for a fraction of a second.

Courtney shook with fury for a moment more before doing as a counselor had once told her to do in stressful times and breathed deeply inward, exhaling soon after. It helped. She once again had control of her body. Mind you she still wanted to kill her mother for being such a controlling bitch, but not enough to act on it. She then coolly walked over to the mirror hanging from the sea blue walls. It was old, obvious by the crack that stretched halfway across it diagonally. She frowned at what she saw. It wasn't right. Not the same as the girl she'd seen before this whole mess started. The once sleek shiny hair was dull and lacking of color, her emerald green eyes once so full of life were drained to the point she felt they belonged to another person entirely, and her dark skin which was always so clean now had dirt caked all about it. She needed to take a bath, she knew, but there wasn't time. Her first impression would be an awful one because of it too.

She sighed, moving away from the mirror, leaving her God awful appearance behind so she could look for suitable clothes. She dropped to her knees by the boxes in the corner of the room and carefully opened the one labeled 'Summer Clothes.' Granted it wasn't exactly summer anymore, but it was still warm enough to pretend. She dug through the piles of clothes, tossing the ones she hated to the side for her mom to deal with during the day or herself when she felt like it. Shortly after the pile had reached a height of two feet she found what she wanted. It was her favorite outfit, the one she always wore on the first day. She did this in order to come off as anything but a slut, she wanted to make sure all guys realized she was much more invested in her school work then them. It wasn't summery, so why it was always classified as such was beyond her, but it never failed to be in the section 'Summer.' She pulled it out easily, hugging it close to her chest. After cherishing the memories it brought to her she laid it on the bed and smoothed the creases which it garnered from the lack of use completely out. She smiled faintly at the accomplishment. "Time to put you to good use." she nodded, pulling her nightgown up over her head and swiftly replaced it with her green Capri's and gray top with the cuffs of the sleeves and bottom fourth being white. "I'm…beautiful…" She murmured, not really believing it, eyes full of immense displeasure and pain.

"Courtney!" it was her dad this time. "Do you want me to take you to school today!" he called up, sounding loud but not harsh like her mother had earlier.

Courtney perked, glancing back at the clock to see it was already seven fifty-eight. She took in a sharp breath. "No!" she cried to herself, dashing for and then flinging open the white door to her room so she was able to sprint toward the bathroom. She brushed her teeth vigorously, making sure to get rid of every bit of accumulated particles from the night before. She then clumsily put on a bit of blush so that she didn't quite look like a monster from the swap, and pulled off a few other fast paced odds and ends before starting back into her run. This time she was heading for the stairs. Once at the bottom she looked about herself furtively, searching for both her father and a brush. She found him first.

"Hey sweetie." he cooed, walking up to her and ruffling her hair. "Ready to-" he stopped mid-sentence, finally taking in his daughters appearance for what it was…a mess. "Um…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Are you ready?" he sounded tentative and almost afraid of the answer but, unlike her mother, he would not come right out and tell her that she was a wreck because he figured it was Courtney's intentions and he didn't want to make the first day any harder for her.

"No!" she snapped, rolling her eyes at him. "Just because I don't want to be here doesn't mean I'm stupid. If I'm stuck here then why burn bridges by going out looking like a hobo?" she snorted. "Really dad." she turned away from him, immediately regretting her words. He hadn't done anything to her. He had tried his best to be nice. She supposed this fit right along with the saying 'nice guys finish last', especially in her screwed up family. She saw the brush sitting on a coffee table in the center of the room. It wouldn't be it's official position though. She knew very well that by the time she got back from school today everything would look perfect. Her mom would make sure of it.

Courtney grumbled something under her breath as she picked up the brush and ran it continuously through her greasy brown hair and turned back around to face her father. She sighed, "Dad…I didn't…"

He held up a hand, chuckling lightly. "You didn't mean it. I know." there was a twinge of bitterness in his voice as he reminisced about the many times Courtney's mother had convinced him to say the same to her.

Courtney sensed the tenseness floating into the air and quickly made to distract him and her both. "Dad, are we going?" she half demanded, tapping her wrist to indicate what the time was despite not having a watch.

Her father nodded slightly, smile gracing his lips once more. "Sure honey."

"Great!" she said as 'thanks'. "Now c'mon!" She added, throwing down her brush to grab a hold of his wrist and drag him out the door towards the car. And much like her parents had shoved her out of the car the day before she shoved him into it, shutting the door in his face before swinging around to the passenger seat, opening the door to the sleek black SUV, jumped in, and latched her seatbelt about herself. "Now drive!" she commanded, pointing ahead. As they pulled out of the driveway she made sure to shut the door so as not to create problems further down the road.

And so they drove hastily on, neither realizing how their desire to be on time would change their lives forever.

Far on the other side of town Duncan, the local delinquent was starting to stir. It was eight o'clock for him. "Duncan!" a woman's sweet voice called to him. "Duncan?" she said softer still, slowly opening the door to his room to peek around the corner of it. "Honey, it's time to get up."

Duncan grumbled a series of curse words under his breath, rolling over to face his short, skinny, blonde haired mother. Five more minutes mom." he paused to yawn. "I won't be late this time." he insured, not meaning a word of it. He would definitely be late. He rarely ever wasn't. And she knew this, much more so then his dad at least. He had to go to truancy court multiple times a year and, since she loved him dearly and hated seeing him being yelled at, she would make an excuse up for the both of them to get out to the hearing. His father never was there, never knowing about the ordeal at any point after. This pleased Duncan greatly which in turn pleased his mother ten times more. She was **the** definition of a parent being wrapped around their child's finger.

The high maintenance woman bit at her nails, uncertainty flashing in her baby blue eyes. "I don't know…" she muttered in a hushed tone. "It's the first day and…" she trailed off, catching Duncan's icy stare.

"Mom." he growled coolly. "Just go to work." he smiled softly, eyes widening to form the perfect 'good boy who wants nothing but his parent to be happy' expression. "You don't want to ruin your perfect record. Unlike me who has nothing left to blemish." he chortled lightly, propping himself up, his head resting easily in his large palm. "Besides…" he waved his free hand about in circles for some reason or another. "We live right next door to the school. I don't need a ride." he smiled amusedly at her, waiting for her inevitable reaction of embarrassment.

She grinned sheepishly over at her boy, a light blush rising to the surface of her face. "You know me." she shrugged her shoulders, looking over at a poster of a zombie impaling a citizen on the wall adjacent. "I can never worry enough about you and your safety. I-" she stopped as Duncan's deep voice cut her off. Although, for once, she'd expected this from him. He loved mocking her for this silly saying of hers. In fact, she'd grown to love the closeness it created for them.

"-only want what's best for my little baby. You're my world. I know mom. You tell me, every. Single. Day." he sighed in mock frustration, falling onto his back in the bed to illustrate how much it killed him. But he made sure to smirk at her to be sure she understood he was only playing. He knew for experience that she had extremely delicate feelings. One had to be very careful with her.

Her smile widened greatly and she full out laughed. "I can't help myself." she admitted, silliness dying away as she glanced wide eyed at the watch on her wrist. "Oh goodness!" she brought her hand to her mouth in surprise. "Gotta go!" she twirled around, scurrying off toward the front door. But of course she had to say one last thing over her shoulder moments before the door shut behind her. "Be good!" she told him this every day that was important, i.e. the first day, club day, days with a dance after school, and most importantly the last day. The day before freedom was always the day that tempted Duncan to do mischievous things the most, much like the first day where he had to assert his dominance over all the other measly kids in the school. This year it was especially true because he was on the top, a senior. It would be his last year in the dump that was high school and as such he had to make sure to leave the biggest impression imaginable on all for which he'd forever be remembered.

Duncan's trademark smirk spread across his light skinned face, a light dancing in his eyes that had been missing since the end of school last year when he pulled a prank of bringing a herd of cattle to the school and stuck them in as many classrooms as possible. Nothing could ruin how high up and ready to go he was feeling, not even the time before his face. Eight Five. "Oh well." he shrugged, rolling off the bed and onto the floor, catching himself with both hands and the tips of his toes so that he could immediately start doing push-ups. He wasn't in love with the idea of hard work, but he was however incredibly in love with the strength and good body it gave him. Not to mention it attracted a heck of a lot of hotties. "One…two…three…four…" he huffed to himself, his heart pounding in his ears and drowning out the ticking of the clock on the wall.

After five minutes straight of this activity he jumped smoothly up to his feet, breathing heavy as sweat formed on his brow. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and headed lackadaisically over to his black dresser. The surface was hidden beneath layers of useless junk he had collected over the years. There were a couple of old clothes he'd either stolen or grew out of balled up, an assortment of his piercings in a little pile, some lipstick random girls had given him, hair pieces, lockets, there was even a poster with his favorite band which one crazy obsessed girl got signed by them just so he would 'go out' with her. He didn't know why but he kept it all. But really the only thing he cared enough about to take with him everywhere was his black dog collar with teal tinted spikes jutting out from it. And this was what he was looking for. He found it right where it always was, sitting on top of the lamp he threw it on every night. It had been given to him by his grandfather a few years ago not long before he died. It may sound odd for someone so old to give a gift so creepy to their grandchild, but his grandfather wasn't exactly normal. He had touches of schizophrenia which made him believe heavily in demons and ghosts so as a 'guard' he carried around the collar. Duncan never believed in the so called powers of the trinket but that hadn't kept him from hanging on to every one of the old mans words. And that's why, when given the chance to keep what his grandfather had loved so much, he gladly took it. He wanted so much to remember him forever and be able to retell his bizarre stories, no matter how fake they'd been.

Duncan shook the memories away, snatching the object from its place and snapped it tightly about his neck. He wasn't sure why he'd taken it off in the first place, but like most little things it made no difference. He adjusted it a bit, watching himself in the mirror, before trotting over to his walk in closet on the wall opposite his bed. Although there was so much junk piled up in there it wasn't much of a walk in closet as it was a keeper of limitless things. He chuckled lightly, rubbing his hands together, before he dove into it. He swam around in the filth for a while, finding what he wanted right on the very bottom. It was his trademark shirt and jeans which he made sure to wear on most days of the year, especially the first. It showed his personality through and through, making up for what the green Mohawk and piercings lacked. "Yes!" he cried as he burst from the depths of the clothes and trinkets to the surface.

He walked out smelling a mite bit worse then previously, shaking his body to get any clothes that stuck to his skin off. He noticed the clock then, eight twelve, but didn't worry. So what if he was a couple of minutes late? It would merely solidify the persona he wished to show people. However he did fasten his pace a bit as he threw on the skull t-shirt and faded greenish pants, moving on to the bathroom for a moment afterward. He turned the faucet knob to the right, clear water spilling forth. He was still a bit drowsy so this was a must. He cupped his hands together and held them beneath the chilling water. It sent a chill through his body, but he ignored the fact. Duncan splashed his face a split second after, the cold water hitting his face like a wave on a beach and did as it was intended, waking him up. "Done." he nodded, wiggling his eyebrows at himself in the mirror. He loved his reflection, but he wasn't vain. He was merely thankful he was so gifted in the looks department unlike his father.

He made a face at the notion of his father's face before turning from the bathroom and heading down the narrow hallway to the front door. For you see he didn't own a grand house as Courtney did. His was only a one level home which grew increasingly harder to live in. But they managed. Much like he managed to get by school each and every year. A miracle. As he exited the tiny house he snatched his father's watch from the floor, clipped it around his wrist and took in the time. Eight thirteen. "Better run." he said to himself, breaking out of his slow paced walk into a full fledged sprint. He went faster and faster as the seconds sped by, all his surroundings becoming a blur. Many said he should be in track, but as much as he wanted to he couldn't. He didn't have the money. But that's not what he told them. He acted as if the notion interested him very little. Such a boring topic for someone with as exquisite tastes as himself. But all the while, deep down, it hurt. Every lie, word, and deceitful action towards topics that involved their money made him cringe. So he tried his best to avoid it, even in his own mind. Just like now as he hopped the fence surrounding the school. It was an amazing sight, he didn't have to stop for the slightest second. He just took a hold of the metallic material, locked a foot in a hole, and thrust himself up and over to land softly on the other side. He paused then to get his bearings but took off like before immediately after. His feet pounded on the black asphalt, heart beating faster in his ears every step he took, breathing heavy, sweat covering his body. He had the slight feeling in the back of his head that he might pass out but he paid little mind to it, instead concentrating hard on the doors of the quickly approaching school. And it was this intent that made him oblivious to the girl who was also growing closer to him.

"Thanks dad!" Courtney yelled over her shoulder, waving in a nonchalant manner. "And love you!" she decided to add after thinking about it and realizing no one would be there to hear her moment of weakness. One of the few times she allowed her guard to slip for an instant so she could admit she cared. It was this distraction of being weak that held her attention, that and getting in school before the bell rang for class. Thus in the next moment the two collided.

Duncan stumbled back, gripping his head tenderly as his brain rattled in his head from the contact of their foreheads. "What the hell!" he barked, scowling down at the girl will pure malice.

Courtney was smaller then the average girl under normal circumstances, but compared to Duncan she might as well have been a rag doll. Hitting him at the rate he'd been going knocked her off kilter to the point she was thrown back onto the concrete with a thud. She made a squeak like noise as she fell, making sure to look up at whatever she'd ran into. Upon seeing it was no one of great value, a punk, she returned his scowl, looking deep into his teal colored eyes. "It's your fault!" she snapped instinctively.

"Me!" he recoiled in disgust. "You should have looked where you were going!" he sighed irritably.

"Yeah right!" she scoffed. "Do you know how fast you were going?" she pointed back in the direction from which he'd come. "We wouldn't have hit if you had been going the normal speed for a human being!" she crossed her arms, head held high. She was one of those girls who refused to lose a fight, no matter how trivial. The thought of school was long gone from her one track mind.

He snorted amusedly at her. "Yeah. You got me. I'm an alien." he smirked slightly, hoping getting a rise out of her would give him relief from his aching head. "That's why I'm so fast."

She shook with fury. "Shut up!" she bit back, hopping up to her feet in an instant. "Just say you're sorry!" she demanded, jabbing a finger at Duncan's chest. "NOW!" she stamped her foot impatiently.

He chuckled lightly. "Fraid not princess. I'm not that kind of guy." he put a hand on his chest indicating himself. "I don't say sorry, especially not when I didn't do nothing." he shrugged lightly. "Sorry."

This furthered her anger another ten degrees or so. "You're such an idiot!" she gripped her free hand into a tight fist, leaving the other to grip onto the books more tightly then previously. "And it's **anything**! Not nothing! Take an English class." she wanted to say a mouthful more to this Neanderthal, only she wasn't sure if he was the type to run off and tell. Whether he told the principal or his possibly high up parents it didn't matter. It would wind up getting around and damaging her spotless reputation which was the last thing she needed right now. So instead of running her mouth she swiftly turned on her heel towards the school.

Duncan smirked contentedly. He didn't care much for this girl at all, she seemed to bitchy, but for a one time argument used to control a headache she sure did what she was supposed to. And in a way seeing her blow her top was fun. It was this factor that pushed him to follow after her. He was quick to catch her, sliding in between her and the door to the school just as she reached for the handle. "Aww, come on. Leaving so soon?" he questioned. He didn't care what she did. She could kill herself as far as he was concerned.

Courtney sent daggers his way, a redness attributed to anger rising in her face. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way." she said each word as if it were it's own sentence, teeth clenched to prevent worse words to come spewing from her mouth. "Now." she added after a second.

His grin broadened. "What if I don't?" he asked playfully, eyes widening.

A hissing sound erupted from her throat, but she refrained from saying anything. She merely threw her head into the air in a conceited manner, turned to her right, and made to go around the punk.

He saw her move before she could complete it and easily moved with her. This was pretty fun for him. He only wished he didn't have to be late to have this kind of fun. "I don't think so."

It was becoming harder for her to keep control of her tongue and body. She wanted to murder this inconsiderate hooligan! Didn't he realize the bell would ring any given moment? She'd never make it to class in time. Not unless hers was right inside the doors. Still she didn't want to snap at him again and tried to see if moving back to the other door would work.

Of course it did no good. Duncan went back and forth with her, like a game of ping pong might have worked. "Talk to me." he pleaded, stretching his arms out wide as she picked up her speed and attempted to dart past him in a less then collected manner. The books in her hand weren't making this any easier either.

She was extremely worked up now, on the verge of tears even. She couldn't be late. No. Not on the first day. This was an impossibility. She hadn't been late a day in her life. So now was not the time to start, not her junior year. "Get the hell out of the way!" she finally let loose, throwing her free hand in the air. "Don't you get it! I'm going to be late! You're going to be late too! That bell will ring any freaking second! Does that mean **nothing** to you!" she spat, inches from his light skin, such a contrast from her own mocha skin.

He frowned lightly, raising half of his unibrow as he looked back at the door. He knew how he should answer, saying that why on earth wouldn't it matter. Because it should matter. To any other boy she asked the answer would be instinct, but not him. As much as he wanted to care he just didn't. Never since elementary school had he cared about anything but girls and fitting in with all the other bad kids. "Nope." he said shortly, small smile returning. He was imagining her response.

"God!" she screamed to the sky, a rumbling sound issuing in the distance to accompany her distressed outcry. "What is wring with you!" she lightly hit her head to emphasis he had brain issues.

"Everything." he said in a much more serious tone, his bright wide eyes losing some of their shine and returning to their regular size.

She was slightly taken aback by how quickly his persona had changed. She blinked a couple of times to make sure it was real, anger faded quite a bit. Although the sudden lack of fury had very little to do with his change. She was just now realizing that the bell didn't matter for her. She didn't have a class to be in when it rang, she was free. If she wanted she could show up hours late and have no penalty. Of course she would never even dream of doing something so fool hardy, it was merely an option. One she figured this brute would love to have. "Just let me go." she sighed, rubbing her temples methodically.

Duncan snorted. "I said no." he shrugged, smiling once more.

"You -" she started, being cut off by the shrill ringing of the late bell. She shuddered at the sound, not liking the feeling she gathered from hearing it and not being seated in a classroom. It had never happened, so it was to be expected.

"Oops." he muttered in a mock apologetic manner, that brightness coming again to light up his whole face.

Courtney groaned in irritation. Just because she wasn't technically late didn't mean she wasn't fully pissed at the guy before her. She still had to get in the building. That hadn't changed. "Please." she growled through her teeth.

He hesitated upon giving her an answer, not sure if please was good enough for him. He smirked deviously when a better option popped into his head. "Hmm…nah. As sweet as it is for you to say please, I must say no." he lowered his arms back to his side because they were getting tired just sitting in the air. "But…" he trailed off, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe, if you kiss me." he wiggled his unibrow suggestively then.

Her eyes grew ten times wider in the moments that followed. "What! No! Never!" she recoiled with disgust and stuck her tongue out as if to hack up what she figured he must taste like. Bad.

"To bad then." he said simply, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He'd have to let her go in a minute though. If he waited to long his secret passage into the school would do him no good. Nobody waits forever, not even for a friend.

"That's it." she said only half to him.

He raised a brow in question to her soft words, but had no time to do anything more. A split second after her foot was jabbed into his crotch. He let out a high pitched yelp, collapsing to his knees immediately after, body shaking from the semi shock it sent him into. He stared up into her sinister eyes, trying his best to glare back at her while he practically doubled over in pain.

She snorted triumphantly, tossing her head back to throw her hair back behind her. "Next time you'll think twice about screwing with me." she said in a sing song tone, hands now on her hips. She felt so much better now. It helped that him being so far below him, completely at her mercy, gave her the feeling of a dominatrix. She knew what that meant too. She didn't find it healthy, but it was interesting to her. With a final nod and a devilish grin now on her lips she stepped around his crumpled figure and through the door.

Duncan watched as she went down the hallway until she vanished around the corner. "What a bitch." he groaned, slowly picking himself back up. "I hope she jumps off a cliff." he grumbled snidely, staggering away from the back door of the school so he could find his way to his secret entrance. He sure as hell didn't need an absence on top of all this shit. His mom would be so upset with him, and that was as bad as it got for him.

Courtney breathed in the fresh scent of this new place. It smelled like an abundance of flowers which she attributed to the fact that a lot of teachers probably had them somewhere in their rooms or in the cafeteria. So as she passed the room that was now void of life she made sure to peek in to see if she was right. She jumped back out the second she was in. The place smelled vastly different from the halls. She coughed and spluttered like an old car as she leaned back against the wall that formed the entrance to it. She would have sworn they had been manufacturing old sweat socks in there if she wasn't a hundred percent sure this was a cafeteria. "I hope it tastes better then it smells." she gagged, quickly moving on from the awful room. Besides, she needed to get to the office.

And get to the office she did. After a while of peeking in the windows of a few rooms she passed she found her way to the front of the school. It was much bigger then the way to come in. If she had been on this end she would've thought she were at a museum, not a school. The ceiling was raised high above her, giving it a dome like appearance. There were plants that looked to good to be real sitting all around the room, a to fancy to be a trashcan trashcan, and the tiles were made of some really elegant looking marble. She was tempted to bend down and touch it to see if it was as smooth as it looked when a voice snapped her to attention and made her jump a mile.

"Hey! Girl!" it was a blonde woman sitting over at the desk of the office. "What are you doing out here?"

Courtney looked over at her shyly, smiling with embarrassment. "Me?" she muttered almost inaudibly, placing a hand to her chest. "I…"

"Come here." the woman commanded, tapping her manicured nails rhythmically against the gray counter. "I can't hear you."

This served to further Courtney's already intense embarrassment. "O-Ok!" She swiftly jolted from her place over to the desk.

"Now what did you say you were here for? You're supposed to be in class."

From here Courtney could see that this lady was more like a stripper then a receptionist. Her shirt was shortcut, more like a mere bra then anything, she wore black pantyhose covered with a really short miniskirt, she wore mountains of makeup as well as had limitless jewelry hanging from all over, and upon further examination she had cartoons of cigarettes hidden in her purse. Courtney unintentionally made a face at his woman's slutty appearance and god awful habits. "I'm new." Courtney said distractedly, still not over the way this person looked.

"Mm hmm." she said with her nose instead of her mouth, reaching over to grab a pen. "What's your name?" she mumbled, resting her head sideways in her penless hand.

Courtney frowned at her. "Why not use the computer?" she asked lamely.

The woman scribbled in the corner of a piece of paper before looking coldly up at Courtney. "You're not in the system."

Courtney didn't want to make a bad impression so early on, but she was finding it hard to control the part of her that couldn't stand ignorant people. "Um…that's why you put me in there. So that I can make my schedule and stuff." she rolled her foot around the outlining of the tile, uncomfortable with undermining authority.

The woman huffed, puffing her cheeks out. "I'm leaving a note." she growled. "You can go home today. There's nothing I can do." she licked her lips, wrapping a piece of hair around her long slender fingers. "Now gimme your name." she repeated with much more sternness.

Courtney glared at the woman before her with as much malice as she had with Duncan. She was so easily frustrated. She knew it must be bad for her health. "Fine." Courtney said in the same manner as the girl at the desk had. "Courtney Manning."

"Age?"

Courtney frowned deeply. "Junior." she said as to evade the question of her actual age. She didn't like others, even the school system, knowing her age. That was the only reasons she wanted to be here at the moment. They'd find out her age based on her grade anyway. It was just one of her little quirks that she could do absolutely nothing about no matter what she tried.

The woman looked as if she might call Courtney out on her answer choice, but instead she decided to bury her annoyance in ashes. She drew from her purse a single cigarette and a lighter from out of her shirt, smoothly lighting the cigarette like she'd done it millions of times before. She brought the small item between her fingers to her lips, sucking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. "Last lived?"

Courtney noticed she liked to keep her sentences as short as possible. It was actually kind of annoying for her. Then again, what wasn't? She sighed. "North Dakota."

The lady took another deep breath, exhaling again before saying shortly, "City?"

Courtney scoffed at the idea, folding her arms across her chest as a guard of the sorts. "I don't think so. If you want that you can get it yourself."

She rolled her eyes, scribbling a few more notes on the paper before dropping the pen back on the counter. "Fine. You can leave." she waved Courtney away, leaning back in her rolling chair to prop her slender legs up on the desk.

Courtney couldn't believe this was allowed in the school. Maybe immature freshmen could get away with something like it. But a staff member? It furthered her already high level of disgust toward this obviously low kept school. "I'm going to just sit around then." Courtney informed her, knowing she wouldn't give a damn.

The blonde looked up a half second as Courtney crossed the room, but largely did as Courtney predicted. She went right back to smoking the cigarette of hers and drew a magazine from a pile to skim through. She had plenty of time to kill. It was always this way at the beginning of school. So boring.

The woman's boredom was nothing compared to Courtney's. Added to the stack of her many flaws and minor things she couldn't stand was the tiny factor of doing nothing. Unlike most kids she had to do something. It killed her killing time. She wished she had homework to focus on, but it being the first day of school there was obviously none. She groaned lightly, leaning her head back against the wall. She needed to find a 'hobby' for the time being. She looked all about her, searching desperately for a task, no matter how trivial. She was mildly pleased when she decided to count the tiles on the floor to pass the time. This would definitely take a while.

An hour and five hundred tiles later she was bored once more. She let out an irritated sigh. She was amazed that she had gone through the floor so fast. "Boy does that sound gay…" she whispered to herself, leaning forward and clasping her hands together thoughtfully, lips resting on top of them. What else to do? She thought to herself, scanning the room another time. What else could there be? Counting the ceiling tiles? Or the specks on the wall? She shrugged, deciding on neither. Instead she chose to take a walk around the school. Though before that she made sure to set her books down beneath the chair.

"Where ya think your going?" the woman at the desk called as she noticed her stand and move to leave.

Courtney bit her lip, telling herself over and over again in her head that she mustn't snap or make so rhetorical comment to her. Although she didn't intend to stop either. So she merely said over her shoulder, "Out." She opened the glass door, peeking back at the woman. "But I'll be back."

The woman watching rolled her eyes at the strange teenager, never having understood or liked them very much. But it didn't bother her mind to long. She was soon back to reading her magazines.

Courtney walked at an average pace, making sure to take in her surroundings as she went as well as enjoy the outdoors. She rarely got to anymore. The pea green grass swayed rhythmically with the aid of the wind, forest green trees still as stone, only their branches and leaves moving along with the grass, and the bright blue sky was as serene as it gets, a few puffy clouds floating by at a snail pace. As she continued down the sidewalk she also noticed that the wildlife wasn't as obvious here in Canada as it had been in North Dakota, but it was still there. Squirrels bounced around the couple trees, playing a game with one another and she swore she glimpsed a rabbit dash past in her peripheral vision. It brought a small smile to her lips. Her barely their happiness grew deeper still as she fully felt the wind blow against her skin and through her brunette hair, cooling her down a couple of degrees. She hadn't felt this at ease in quite a while. All this business of moving, losing her friends, and even the boy earlier had left her flustered to an unbearable extent. It was nice to finally relax a little.

She was rounding the side of the building now, breathing in deeply, the scent of the fresh air filling her nostrils. Her eyes were closed as she did so so that she could better enjoy the smells swirling about her and the little feelings that came with it. Besides, she'd looked about her already, she was sure of where she was going. She wouldn't fall. At least that's what she believed. It turns out she isn't as good at measuring distance as she thought. She took one to many steps to her left and lurched forward, stumbling over into what could've been a traffic infested lane if it were the end of school. He eyes shot open immediately and she caught herself quick enough to stay on her feet. She praised her quick reaction time.

A cackle issued forth as she straightened herself back up, causing her to perk. "Way to go." an unfamiliar voice said to her.

She perked, turning about to look at whoever it was who thought her misfortune was so entertaining. She was horrified to see it was someone of the same class as the boy she had run into earlier. What was with there being so many punks around here? But at least it wasn't the same boy. She knew she couldn't tolerate him, but maybe this guy would turn out to be different. "What's so funny?" she growled, narrowing her eyes into slits.

His laughter died down, him shrugging. "I dunno. You're clumsiness I suppose."

"Why!" she demanded, hands on hips as she leaned forward to scrutinize him further. He had on a white shirt with chibified figures stabbing each other with miniature weapons while his pants were a dark black, his hair gelled up into a mohawk that was oddly the same color as the rest of his hair, black, and he had both ears pierced. "Does peoples unluckiness bring you some kind of sick thrill?"

The boy's eyes widened and he turned a bit defensive. "No, no not at all." he waved his hands in a manner matching his insistent words. "You just look so…perfect." he breathed, smiling a bit. "You don't seem like you're used to tripping up in any way."

Courtney's anger faded and she grew quite pleased with the boy before her. He was actually pretty sweet for a punk, especially one she just met. "Perfect?" she pressed, moving over in is direction. "You really think so?" her eyes were soft and her voice sweet.

He nodded. "Sure. I mean, just look at your clothes." he motioned toward her. "They look like they were ironed or at least well kept up until this day. And your hair falls right to your shoulders, not an inch above or below." he shrugged lightly. "I may sound crazy, but it's what I think." the only thing that ruined this picture for her was the fact that between each sentence he'd bring his cigarette to his lips, reminding her so much of the woman at the front desk. But…no one was perfect.

She chuckled. "No…I'm not that great." she said with modesty despite the fact she fully believed she was perfect. "But you aren't crazy either." she decided to add for extra brownie points.

He chuckled right back at her. "Thanks."

She was over by the wall which he leaned back on nonchalantly, positioning herself so that she too leaned back against the brick wall. "It's nothing." she said, holding up her hand to enforce her words.

"No, it's everything. To me at least." he looked over at her face, noticing she wasn't quite as perfect as he had said. Yet he wouldn't tell her this. He didn't want her to kill him. He knew she would if he spoke his mind from past experience, preps were always quick to anger. This was further proved by how she'd jumped on him when he did nothing more then laugh.

Courtney frowned lightly, sliding down the wall into a sitting position of the sorts, knees up at her chest. She sighed softly. "What's your name anyway?" she asked lazily, craning her neck to look up.

He followed suite in her actions, slowly sliding down onto the lush grass. "Zane." he said shortly, a hint of contempt in his tone. He didn't like his name one bit. He couldn't wait to change it.

She noticed he didn't seem to like it and immediately tried to make him feel better. "Cool name. Much better then mine."

He glanced over at her. "Oh? What might that be?"

She looked away from him. "Courtney." she said through clenched teeth, gripping the grass beneath her.

He chuckled. "It's not bad." he insisted. "Really. It's kinda…pretty." he admitted, drawing circles in the grass.

Courtney lost the tenseness creeping up on her and slowly released her grip on the innocent grass. She smiled warmly over at him. "You think so? I know I don't." she grumbled the last sentence.

He shrugged. "Everyone hates their name. Everyone I know anyway. It's practically human nature. I mean, when you're stuck with one name for so long you can't help but get tired of it." he paused to think of how stupid he must sound, but decided to add anyway, "That's how I see it at least."

Courtney giggled softly. "It makes sense." she shrugged. "More sense then what most idiots come up with these days. Everything is scientific." she made quotation marks with her fingers around the word scientific as she said it in a deep voice that didn't belong to her. "If it isn't then it must be based around God." she sighed heavily, rolling her eyes.

"Whatcha got against God?" Zane questioned, frowning deeply as he raised a brow at her.

Courtney froze for a minute. When she looked at him she didn't see someone who believed in something like God. If anything she figured he'd be an atheist. So he sounding so offended by the mention of mocking God caught her off guard. "Um…Nothing." Courtney said, rubbing her arm. "I was just making a point!" she snapped, nodding firmly.

He snorted. "Easy firecracker." he put his hands up in defense. "I don't care what you believe in. Honestly I don't know what to believe in sometimes either." he dropped his gaze to the ground, recollecting an awful memory from a couple years ago.

Courtney too lowered her gaze, sensing she'd accidentally dug up something that was best left buried. After a few minutes of awkward silence she thought to move the topic away from religion. "So…have any hobbies?"

From that point on it went rather smoothly for the two. She asked, he'd answer, and more times then not he'd send the same question back her way. She was a bit uncomfortable with it at times, but it was more fun then anything. They went like this for hours on end, learning so much about the other that most wouldn't learn in months. They just clicked so well to look so different. At least they did until Courtney brought up one final question.

"So what are you doing out here anyway?" she scrutinized, narrowing her eyes at him as if it might pressure him into telling quicker. Not that he needed the persuasion. In fact, she didn't really care to hear the answer. She was pretty sure she already knew anything he was going to give her. Smoking, he felt like it, he hated a certain class. None of the reasons were very good.

He smirked, liking the fire that came to her eyes at the topic of missing school. She was definitely a type A. "Dunno." he muttered with a shrug. "I felt like it."

Bingo. She hit the nail right on the head. Her observation of his getup hadn't failed her with this topic. "That's an awful reason!" she was upset by the thought no matter how obvious the answer had been. "How can you 'feel like' missing school?" she sighed irritably, draping her arms around her knees as a chill flowed through her.

He laughed at her quickness to snap. "I just do. It's boring, you know?" he paused, taking in her 'are you stupid or what?' expression and blushing in embarrassment. "Yeah…never mind." he started talking faster after that. "But it's just like this urge! I've been there, cooped up, all day and I just want out! I can't explain it, but it's like I **need** it!"

She rolled her eyes. He was right. She didn't understand his 'need' at all. For someone like her the notion was the silliest thing she had ever heard. In her mind it was a need to be at school, not away from it! She was amazed that she had made it as long as she had without having a freak out. "If you say so." she begrudgingly agreed to compromise.

He narrowed his eyes, pointing at her. "Here you are preaching, but what are **you** doing out of school?" he jabbed his finger into her arm, eyeing her suspiciously.

She groaned. "Not doing it because I feel like it. Heck! I don't even want to be sitting here right now." she threw her arms into the air. "I'd **love** to be back in one of those classes." she shook her head from side to side in annoyance. "But no! I can't because my stupid parents didn't think to get me put into the school. God! They are so stupid." she smacked her forehead.

He laughed at her again. "Why not just go sit in a random class then?" he suggested. "Not like those idiots running the place will see there's one extra student, especially on the first day."

Courtney frowned lightly. "No…" she couldn't believe what she was saying. "I wouldn't be getting any credit."

"Ah." he proclaimed as if he had won so prestigious award, pointing toward the sky. "I get it now. You only want to be at school because it gives you a sense of accomplishment. It makes you feel like you did something that matters. It isn't the school itself." he nodded, smiling smugly. "I get it now."

Courtney's eyes widened dramatically and she had to struggle to keep her moth from falling flat on the ground. "N-No!" she snapped. "You're full of crap!" she quickly stood back up, huffing.

"Hey! Wait a minute." the boy followed her in standing. "Where are you going?" he pried expectantly.

She leaned in inches from his face, arms sticking out like chicken wings as she clasped her hands behind her back. "Somewhere else." she said shortly, turning on her heel after a moment of sending daggers into his red eyes.

"But…" he trailed off, watching as she went at high speed away from him. She was sure interesting. And she most definitely had the shortest fuse out of all the girls he'd mingled with. He wasn't sure he liked this factor, but her nice body made up for that. She smiled unconsciously as the thought of her chest crossed his mind.

She was back at the entrance of the school in a minute flat, much faster then the time it took for her to leave. Only this time she was a little more then flustered. She crossed her arms over her chest as she glanced back from the direction she'd came. Her eyes were sad, frown forming on her lips. She hadn't really wanted to up and leave like that, she was rather enjoying talking to Zane. It was merely that she knew better then to mess around with people like him. That and she wasn't about to let him dig so deep into her inner feelings like he had tried to. All he needed to know was that she was perfect, which he had easily deduced.

"Can I help you?" A voice she didn't know said.

She perked, looking over to the front desk to see that the stripper girl was no longer there. Instead there was a mature brown haired, blue eyed woman. She wore a freshly pressed white shirt and gray tinted pants. This made Courtney sigh in relief. She only hoped she was as capable as she appeared. "Um, hi." she waved as she stepped closer. "I'm new. I tried to get myself put into the system earlier today, but…" she trailed off, pulling at her shirt sleeve.

The lady shook her head. "I know."

"You do?" Courtney blinked twice.

"Courtney Manning, right?"

"Uh…yeah!" Courtney chirped, smiling happily.

"The woman you sadly had the misfortune of meeting was my sister." she sighed, shaking her head again. "She's pathetic. I was just late. School caught me off guard." she chuckled. "A minor miscalculation is all."

Courtney nodded in agreement to her thoughts on the previous lady as well as because she understood what she meant. She made miscalculations all the time. She never admitted the fact out loud, but it did happen. "So does that mean I can go to class!" Courtney was quick to ask, gripping the side of the desk eagerly, face glowing.

The woman smiled softly back. "You're schedule is subject to change, but here's a rough draft of the sorts." she handed Courtney a thin piece of paper with everything she needed on it. All six classes, science, english, math, spanish, social studies, and drama, it had her locker number and combination, and all her personal info.

Courtney rolled her eyes. They'd probably called her mother while she'd been out. She cringed, thinking about leaving made her think of Zane. That was the last thing she wanted. "So, what class so I go to?" Courtney pointed at the paper she now held in her hand.

The woman started to glance over at the time on her computer when the bell rang. Doors shot open and the sound of feet on tile filled the once silent air. Along with this came the sounds of a mixture of many voices.

Courtney peeked around the corner to see that it wasn't the end of school. The kids were loitering at the lockers, in the middle of the halls, and anywhere they could. They certainly seemed anxious though. It was obviously later then she thought. She looked back at the woman expectedly. She wanted a time.

The woman understood. "Well, it looks like they're switching from 5th to 6th." she smiled a false smile of cheer as her words faded from the air. "So, go there." she waved Courtney off.

Courtney didn't bother saying anything about the woman's apparent desire to be done with her. She just did as she was told, making sure to grab her books, and scampered off to find room 127. She had no clue as to where she was going so she was panicking some as she scurried through the halls of chatting friends. Watching them this closely hit her with a pang of bitterness. She felt shut out from them, a foreigner if you will. She didn't belong with a one of them even the tiniest bit. Sure she knew Zane and that idiot from earlier, but those were pretty sad boys. She needed a girl. Someone she could talk to about anything, what was ruining her mood, how to get over it, and most importantly boys. She couldn't imagine talking to guy about another guy or guy troubles. They'd look at her like she was high. She knew it was so.

She glanced up at the clock as she plowed on. It read 1:57. She swallowed hard, looking back and forth between each door as she passed. "Hey!" she yelped as some loser practically ran her over. She fell backwards like she had earlier that day, losing her books she had been carrying in the process.

The boy who had slammed into her looked back, surveyed the situation, and deemed the girl before him unworthy. He let a quiet laugh escape him as he continued on his trek to his class.

Courtney couldn't believe what she was seeing. Had he really just knocked her over? And more importantly had he done so without thinking to help her back up? Her blood boiled beneath her caramel colored skin. She shook from the fury, quickly moving about to sloppily put her papers in a stack while simultaneously working to avoid being trampled. All the while no one offered to assist her. Some laughed, others rolled their eyes, and the rest whispered something to whoever was next to them. It was so different from where she'd been before. She almost wanted to cry. The only thing that stopped her was the clock.

It was a minute till the bell rang and she was desperate to make it to class on schedule. She sprang up and darted down the hallway, scanning like crazy. 125, 126...127! She cut across the hallway with no regard toward the few who were going the opposite direction of her. Because at this point she didn't care. Those who would laugh while she was down didn't deserve her courtesy.

The sound of the bell reverberated in her ears as she crossed through the door. She sighed with relief, lowering her head and closing her eyes as she held on tighter to her books. "Thank God…" she surprised herself by saying this, but she couldn't help it. Sure at first forces seemed to be conspiring against her, but now they had helped her. She made it to class just in time. Only as she opened her eyes to take in the faces of her classmates she'd be stuck with for the duration of the year did she freeze. Her eyes met with him and he too reacted in the same manner. Then, eerily enough, they said the same thing in unison. "No, not you."

**What do you think? I think it is the most boring thing I've ever turned out. Honestly I don't know how I got through it, lol. The only interesting bits for me were ones with Duncan. For some reason I love writing anything that focuses on him. He just seems like he could be a really complicated person without ruining his character. But please don't think the other chapters are going to be this dull. First chapters are almost always kinda slow. x.x Plz review! :D**


	2. It Gets Worse

**I made sure to shorten this one considerably compared to the last. Originally this was going to be just as long as the last one, but since I've come to realize people like shorter chapters I basically am splitting it into two. This more then likely means there will be twice as many chapters as originally planned. You'll prolly like that though. lol Note: Dots like this ... on their own line mean a skip in time/jump from Courtney to Duncan or vise versa. K?**

The two stared back at each other for what felt like forever to them both. The same things were going through their minds all the while. Why is she here? There's no way I have a class with **him**. She's so stuck up. What a punk. I hope she dies. Maybe he'll go emo and kill himself from drinking. Maybe. If we're lucky. Courtney's mouth twitched slightly as the stream of thoughts ended for both of them. She wasn't about to go sit next to him. He didn't deserve her company.

Duncan narrowed his eyes further to try and intimidate the girl standing across the room from him. Why? Out of the thousands of kids who went to this school, why was it that the one person who he hated had to be in his class? If this wasn't God's way of fucking with him he didn't know what was. He wasn't sure whether to curse the almighty being for being so cruel or to pray that this be a silly mistake and she was just lost. He growled lightly at how ridiculous and hopeless the notion sounded. But maybe, just maybe, she would sit far away from him.

Their death stare went on until the teacher snapped them to attention. "You!" she snapped. "Take your seat so we can get started!" her eyes were black coals of hate. Courtney could see she couldn't stand her job or the kids she was forced to be in contact with.

Courtney frowned lightly at her, not understanding why someone would take a job they loathed so many aspects of. However as she scrutinized the medium sized woman she didn't feel quite so angry. Not looking at the delinquent in the back corner made her a lot less tense and her eyes softer. It was only when she turned to search for a seat as the teacher wanted did her barely there good nature vanish into thin air.

He hadn't taken his eyes off her all the while and she knew it by how deep his frown had become and how far down his brows dug toward his eyes. She was slightly taken aback by the way he was able to hold such a fierce expression for so long, but once she regained focus she returned the favor, walking up the aisle of white desks with her head held high. Of course she her air of arrogance wasn't complete even as she crossed her arms over her chest because she was forced to peek out of the corner of her eyes for a seat. None in the first row, not the second, no fourth. She was desperate now. She needed for there to be a seat somewhere else, anywhere that wasn't next to him. But she soon realized there was no hope for her. She reached the very last row and drew in a sharp breath. "No…" she breathed, bringing a hand to her mouth to bite nervously on her nails.

She swirled around, frantic, to look over each row carefully once more. She had to have missed something. Anything! And she had. Up a row to her left was one vacant seat. She let out a deep sigh of relief, not having felt so thankful in forever. "Thank you God." she found herself saying for the second time in the past five minutes. Unfortunately the seat was beside one of the most grotesque humans she'd ever laid eyes on. A shiver ran down her spine. He was so fat, layers of skin clumping together most noticeably on his face, his eyes were so small and to close together, he didn't appear able to keep his mouth shut, and a certain smell seemed to be permeating the air from his direction. She froze, not knowing what was worse, a year of prison with fatso over there or a death sentence with the punk.

"Sit down!" the teachers sharp voice cut through the air, making Courtney jump.

Now she was quick to decide. She took one last fleeting look back to the boy with the skull on his shirt and scurried forward to take her seat by the student no one else wished to be near. She sighed softly, grimacing as she looked over at the boy next to her so that she wouldn't be tempted to look behind her. Although she had to admit, staring at the large kid as well as enduring his stench and trying not to let him touch her was a rather hard task. It was exhausting really. It didn't help that she could be a germ freak depending on who it was around her. And this was definitely one of the latter cases.

The boy next to her looked at her and smiled awkwardly, waving his hand lazily.

Courtney forced a smile onto her face, but she didn't like or mean it. She was dying to get out of this place, an amazing desire for someone like her who was consumed with being at school as much as humanly possible. She guessed circumstances were more important then she previously thought.

"Today is the first day so, like you've been doing all day, there will be nothing but packages and syllabi." she spoke in a monotone. Courtney didn't mind, but Duncan already knew he was going to die in the class.

Duncan leaned his head down onto the table sideways as he only pretended to listen to the teacher. All he really was paying attention to was the snotty girl a row ahead of him. But it wasn't pleasant thoughts that filled his head. It was all pure unadulterated hate. He hated her so much, in fact, that he refused to admit she looked good at all. She looked a wreck, the biggest mess of a girl he'd seen in a long, long time. Her hair was in knots, sticking up all over, her clothes looked like there was an inch of dust accumulated on it, and her eyes from what he could tell were dull, filled with just as much hate as his own teal orbs. He snickered lightly when the thought of what he thoughts were concerning him must be. She was probably thinking 'He sucks.' or 'Why him? He is so stupid.' perhaps even the desire for him to die was passing through that evil mind of hers. He smirked at the notion. In a way her wanting so much to get rid of him and destroy his being turned him on. He loved girls with a fiery spirit. Only not this one. Her fiery spirit wasn't quite enough to tempt him. Besides, there were plenty of others. And she was a junior, he was a senior. They didn't belong. He'd be gone in a year while she remained rooted to this God awful spot.

Courtney swallowed hard as she scooted as far as she could to the side without being far out into the row. For a while this distracted her too. It keep her occupied for exactly twenty-five minutes. But no more then that. After this much time passed she found herself unable to deny that she was being stared down. Ever since the start of class she'd felt uneasy and like there was an intense fire burning into her back. She didn't want to look back to see if she was right, because she knew who it'd be if it was anyone. It would be that stupid punk boring a hole into her. She gripped her fists tightly, gritting her teeth too as a way to will herself into keeping her gaze on anywhere but behind her. "Don't look…don't look…don't look…" she whispered to herself, shaking slightly from fighting her own desire so hard.

Duncan yawned out loud, lifting his head off the table and resting it in the palm of his hand. It was tilted somewhat, but he liked being off center. Things that were perfect pissed him off. It was another thing about this brunette that got under his skin. Despite the fact she was looking so awful today he had an inkling that this wasn't the real her. He knew that on any other day every bit of her hair would have been in place, her clothes perfectly clean and ironed, and her eyes jus bright enough. He wasn't sure how she would manage to pull the last one off, all he knew was that she would find a way. If she was really as perfect as he thought.

Courtney heard the sound that issued forth from behind her and she breathed in a deep breath. She honestly didn't believe this did any good as far as her wanting to turn around was concerned but it did calm her mind somewhat. At this point anything was a plus.

"And remember!" the teacher said louder then how she'd been talking previously. "If you don't get these back here by tomorrow it will hurt your grade. Badly." she hissed the last word with a certain satisfaction, smiling cruelly. "But if you do…" she held up a finger. "You get a grade **and** bonus points!" she clapped her hands together with the falsest cheer Courtney had ever seen.

There was a collective groan heard in the room from all but the perfectionist sitting close to the back. "Yes!" she cried to herself, pumping her arm down through the air with happiness.

Duncan noticed that the once still and silent girl was now moving and appeared to be talking to herself. He raised a brow at her strange reaction toward the teachers words. She was weird, that was for sure. But there was something more about the way she was acting that perturbed him. He didn't fully realize it, but it was because she was so happy. She practically glowed. And he was not. So the part of him that understood this factor sent him the message that something must be done. Duncan smirked darkly, thinking of something that wouldn't hurt her, but would without a doubt annoy her to do. He grabbed a couple of sheets of paper out of his older then time bag and started tearing them up into little pieces. This was going to be fun.

Courtney had ceased her mindless babbling to herself and grown still once more, but her smile never faded. Since she felt so good all of a sudden she figured she'd do something with it. She started to pull out all the papers she'd stuffed back in after falling and began sorting them into stacks. Yes, that's right, her papers for each class were different because to Courtney everything had to be distinguishable. Paper wasn't just paper. It mattered just like everything else.

Duncan had efficiently created a pile of tiny balls in five minutes easy. He was sure he could use the stack up until the end of class, thirty minutes away, and still have leftovers. He snickered again and aimed his first shot ever so carefully.

Courtney was nearly done with organizing the junk, happiness still unbearably obvious, when she felt something hit the back of her head. She paused, frowning, to wonder what it was that was so small yet could have hit her in the head like that. She shrugged, passing it off as nothing more then a fly being what they were, a pest. But then there was another, and a third, fourth, fifth, all hitting different spots. The glimmer in her eyes was gradually fading. Her frown deepened and her brows dug down toward her eyes. There was only one **thing** that could be doing this. But she really didn't want to look. As much as she loved proving herself right she didn't in this moment.

Duncan was holding down a full out belly laugh, hand pressed hard against his mouth as the other threw tiny paper wads every few seconds. And through it all he didn't care that she knew she knew he was the culprit. Just seeing her steaming was enough for him.

It had been five minutes and she swore there had to be at least a hundred of the tiny paper wads now lying around her desk. It was bad enough she was the target, but now the fact that her space was dirty made it ten times worse. "You think you're funny…" she hissed under her breath. "Fine." she glanced out of the corner of her eye, going against her will, to see him back in the corner with a stack of both shredded and unshredded paper by his side. She knew it. "I'll show you funny." she drew from her pocket a rock she'd picked up for a reason she no longer remembered. It was rather pretty for a rock found on school grounds and she half regretted having to use it for such a misdeed. But it took only a second glance back at the punk to realize it wasn't that great. She twisted all the way around in her chair, almost like an owl does with his head, and hurled the object right at his head.

The boy was busy laughing his head off, but not so much that he was blind. He saw the rock in time to duck down out of the way, eyes wide with shock. "What the fuck!" he spat loud enough for all in the class to hear. And they did. All heads turned to him.

Courtney shrugged as if getting rocks chucked at your head was a natural thing. Although despite herself she was grinning devilishly. It was all she could do to stop herself from bursting out in laughter. "Oops." she said in a hushed voice to herself.

Duncan reacted as if he heard even though he had not. His eyes narrowed into slits, fists clenched, and mouth turned into a fierce snarl. "Bitch." he mouthed, anticipating a reaction like she seemed to always have.

Courtney did a double take. She figured he was vulgar, but she didn't think he'd risk getting caught by others. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Of course he wouldn't give a damn. He had said the f word without thinking. So instead of beating herself up about her idiocy she recomposed herself and stuck her tongue out.

Duncan shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe that she really thought sticking her tongue out was worse then him calling her a bitch. He understood her reasoning behind it though. Since she was the perfectionist she wouldn't want to get caught saying a curse word, even just mouthing it, so she took a step down so that even if she were caught it would make no difference. Although just because he understood didn't mean he cared. He countered by flipping her with the cover of his bag.

Courtney grew angrier still, yet there was nothing left for her to do. Maybe if she had the cover of her books and was sitting way in the back she would be braver in her retorts, but things being as they were she was left stumped. Her angry eyes soon faded to a blank stare and then to one of bitter defeat.

He raised a brow at her, arms crossed as if to say 'I'm waiting.' And he was. He wanted so badly for her to do more. He wanted to see her get in trouble and fall to her knees in disbelief. He hated her that much.

Courtney refused his offer, turning, fuming, back around to face the front.

Duncan stuck his lip out in a pouting manner. She was too smart for her own good. He shrugged. He'd just do as he'd been doing. He grabbed a handful of paper and prepared to launch…but stopped. He had a better idea. He grabbed a whole sheet of paper, scribbled a sloppy note on it and crumpled it into one big paper wad. However, this time he didn't aim for her head. She wouldn't pay it any attention if he did that. He didn't want to be thought of as stupid for it.

Courtney was breathing deeply in and out as she sat there and stared intensely at the clock. She was concentrating so hard one would think she was attempting to will the minute hands to move forward so she could escape. And they'd almost be right. She only wished it was possible. She sighed lightly, resting her head in the palm of her hands. It was two forty. She wanted to shoot herself in the foot to relieve the ache waiting caused. Fortunately Duncan's incessant picking distracted her from the time. Although it did not make it any easier to hold her extremely unstable temper.

The piece of paper he threw landed dead center of the top of her head and bounced down onto the table before her. She grit her teeth and banged her fists down on the table. A few people looked around at her, but the teacher went on much to Courtney's relief. She sighed, picking it up against her better judgment. She flattened it back out to reveal the words he wrote in his awful handwriting. "Dear, bitch, it's too bad you're a chicken. I guess you'll never amount to anything. But here's a pity prize…" She blinked a couple times. What? A prize? What prize? She stared intently at the parchment to see if she was missing something. Maybe he'd meant the hit on the head. Somehow she didn't think so. And she was right.

A moment later she saw what was intended for her. It was the biggest bug she'd ever seen in her life. She hated bugs. They were on her top ten list of fears. So naturally her immediate response was to let out a high pitched scream and jump backwards. Her movement sent her chair to the ground and her along with it. This in turn sent everyone in the room into a full on cackle, mostly Duncan. She scrambled across the floor as fast as she could even as the laughter rose all around her. Her face was flushed by all this unwanted attention, but other then that she ignored them. Every last one of the idiots. All except the boy at the back.

Once she was back on her feet, bug far away, she sent daggers into Duncan. But really her anger wasn't her dominant emotion. Her embarrassment was a close second, but what prevailed over all was betrayal. Not the betrayal of Duncan, but her own to herself and everyone else. She felt like she had let herself down, her parents, and the school. As she tried her best to forget it she carefully dusted herself off, pulling her shirt down tight with both hands and not letting go. Her eyes were planted on the ground and she looked about ready to cry. "Sorry…" she mumbled, but it was not heard.

Duncan was still laughing long after everyone else stopped, holding his sides as tears of joy filled his eyes. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help himself. Despite her obvious hurt due to his joke he felt nothing for her. She was the butt of the joke, she got laughed at, and she hated it. So what? If it wasn't her fault then she shouldn't cry over it. It was life, it happens. If she didn't grasp this tiny factor and couldn't handle this small group of people making her feel miserable he didn't know how she'd survive real life.

The math teacher reprimanded them all. "Shut up!" she screeched. "You!" she pointed at Duncan and he stared blankly back at her. "Stop being an immature brat and don't you **dare** bring bugs into my class again!" she switched her gaze of to Courtney. "And you!" Courtney hung her head in shame. "Stop being such a baby and suck it up! People are asses! It's life!" After she was pleased enough by her words she decided she didn't want to waste her time up at the front and would go back to her desk and let the students do whatever they well pleased. At least as long as they didn't disturb her.

Duncan smirked over at the teacher and then to Courtney. She wasn't watching him. She was busy resituating herself in her chair. He shook his head. She was so easily screwed with. It almost wasn't any fun…**almost.** If only she were more of a challenge. No girl was really, not in any aspect. They were easily wooed by his bad boy charms, easily scared out of their minds by his tricks, and just flat out easy. He supposed he'd have to do something different to keep himself entertained for the week.

For the rest of the period Courtney didn't lift her gaze from her desk, not to look back at Duncan, not to see the teacher, not even to look at the clock. She was trapped in her mind, her own little word of security, until the sound of the bell brought her back to reality.

Everyone jumped from their seats and rushed to the door, trying to squish past everyone else and be the first out of the building. It took them a while but eventually they were all gone, all but Courtney. She waited until they were gone to slowly stand and walk at a snail like pace out the door and down the hall until she walked into the sunlight of the outside. It blinded her at first, but she didn't care. Nothing mattered right now beside her finding her bus and getting home. Nothing…

She rode in her bus, 213, in silence, instead taking in all the other sounds around her. There was the constant chattering of excited kids, the annoyed grumbles of the driver, the tiny wisps of wind catching onto pieces of her hair, the sound of coke cans and plates hitting the floor. All these sounds and more swirled about her, yet she barely cared. That's all they were, sounds. They held no meaning to her in this world of irritation. She didn't want to be here just as she didn't want to earlier today. All she wanted was to be back in her hometown. And since that was no longer an option she settled on the 'home' that she was trapped in now.

She stepped off the bus just as slowly as she got on it, standing there minutes after it had pulled away and the cries of the children had long faded into silence. She sighed. She didn't want to go in her house. If she did she knew her mother would be waiting and ask the dreaded question. 'How was your day honey'. She'd say it in her singsong fake cheery voice too, making it worse instead of better. Courtney wondered what would happen if she hijacked their car and drove away, far, far away so that they'd never find her. No. She shook her head sadly. That wouldn't work. Her conscience would eat away at her. So reluctantly she wandered over to the door of their large house, tentatively opening the door to met her sure to come doom.

Her mother zoomed around the corner in a heartbeat, her cheesy smile there as Courtney said it would be. "Hey, honey!" she cried. "How was it? Was it hard? Did you make any friends? Do your teachers like you?" her questions were ordered in way of importance.

Courtney looked away from her mom, hating that she was even able to fake happiness. "I dunno." I shrugged. "I don't really want to talk about it." she drug her heel in circles on the carpet.

Her mother lost her false cheer and her mouth fell into a flat line, expression verging on aggravated. "Honey?" she pressed, tone holding an edge.

Courtney sighed miserably. "I couldn't go because I wasn't in the system." she stared dully up into her mother's slowly widening eyes. "But I managed to get into last period." Courtney intentionally skipped the part with Zane. She knew her mother well enough to know telling her about a boy on the first day would get her a one way ticket to a bitch fit.

Her mother seemed halfway pleased that she had gotten some learning in, yet she still looked at her daughter expectantly. "And?"

Courtney exhaled softly. "And it gets worse." she stated flatly, waiting for the question that would launch her into the tale of Duncan the ass.

**...**

Duncan went home the same way he came. He didn't need a bus like all the other fools and it felt great. It was another one of the ways he counted that made him different, special. Only this time he walked slowly. He savored the feel of freedom and most importantly the feeling of pure bliss. The wind worked its way through his hair, making him feel light, the sun shone brightly, making his hair shine, and the high of messing with that brunette girl was what really made his day. He knew as he grew closer to his home that the beautiful day and image of the girl's face would definitely get him through another day of what would normally be hell.

He approached the door and pressed his ear against the thin clear glass. He listened for any sign of a commotion before deciding after a minute or two that all was well. He opened the door and walked in and over toward the living room. His mother was waiting for him like she was everyday after school.

"Hey sweetie." she said so sweetly that it was amazing it was genuine. She was sitting on their blue couch pressed up against the wall in the far corner, her hands clasped together on her lap. "How was it? Were you good?" her tone was ever chipper.

Duncan's smile widened. He always loved talking to his mom. Not that he'd ever admit this to a soul, but it made bad days better and good days amazing. "It was great mom." he said with content, moving over to the couch and sitting down next to her. He turned his head toward her, taking in her expression before adding, "And I didn't skip school. I was there all day." he was so incredibly proud.

His mother burst with joy. "Oh! Honey! That's wonderful!" she gushed, ruffling his hair gently. "But…" she paused, eyes holding a concerned look and smile fallen slightly, none of it however was false in any way. "Were you good?"

His smile fell much like hers, only it wasn't because he regretted what he'd done or because he was displeased with it in any way, it was due to the fact that his mother would be disappointed on him. He rubbed the back of his head. "Well…until last period." he admitted.

"Ah!" she sighed sadly. "Duncan…"

"Don't worry mom." he insisted, hugging her a bit to make sure she didn't get into one of her moods of intense sadness. He couldn't take that even with the high he was feeling. "It wasn't big. It was a little thing and the teacher didn't give a dam-crap. Crap!" he corrected himself.

His mother laughed lightly at his slip up. "I don't care Duncan. Say whatever you want." she paused, thinking of some other question to ask. "What was your favorite part of the day?" she decided upon.

"Lunch." he was quick to say, smiling from ear to ear.

She rolled her eyes at him, watching as if she expected something more, but wouldn't say it because she didn't like to pressure him into telling her things.

Since she seemed so interested in what else there was he figured he'd tell her the story of why he was so happy. She probably wouldn't like it, but now that she knew he had done something wrong the details wouldn't bug her quite so much. "It gets better." he said with a devious smirk, leaning back with his hands behind his head so he could tell the story of Courtney the bitch in full glory.

**How was it? Do you like me shortening the chapters? I'd like to know. And how about the comparisons of Duncan and Courtney's lives? Those are really fun to do too. :) And sorry about the dxc hate, but not all couples can start off all happy, especially not dxc. lol Plz review! :D**


	3. A Glimmer of Hope

**This one is a bit longer then the last, but it's not too bad. I hope you enjoy the read. :)**

Courtney had the worst night of sleep in her life that night. She tossed and turned without an end in sight, unable to get the picture of Duncan's face out of her head. It didn't help that when she'd told her mother of the string of pranks he'd preformed she had rolled her eyes and reprimanded her for being so whiny and pathetic. She'd told her to grow a backbone and get over it because if she couldn't handle this she was doomed to fail in life. It had hurt the already saddened brunette girl, especially hearing it from her own mother's mouth. Anyone else might've been ok, bit not her. She was the only person who could damage her with words. Not Duncan, or her aunts, uncles, grandparents, or anyone. _Don't be a baby!_ The words bounced around just as long as Duncan's face stayed before her eyes. As such she'd eventually cried herself to sleep. Despite her knowledge that her mother would bash her more if she ever found out like she always managed to she did it. It didn't help the pain of being picked on or let down, yet it somehow was the cure, around one in the morning, to her sleeplessness.

She woke hating her mother and her life just as much as she had yesterday. The only thing keeping her going was school and her desire to discover who she would have this year since she hadn't been able to yesterday. Although when it came to getting ready her biggest incentive was to avoid her mother. Courtney believed with all her heart that she wouldn't be up yet. She honestly didn't know why she had been up the day before. Her work didn't start until an hour after school started. Not that Courtney cared much. She merely wanted out.

And now, a full hour later, she was making her way to her first period class. She was smiling ever so slightly, hiding behind a mask of bitterness. She glanced down at the schedule resting atop her books. She had Spanish 2! She had hoped that she wouldn't have it so early, but if she had to choose between having it early and not having it at all she'd definitely go with the former. She found it necessary to be fluent in at least one other language then her own and in order to do this she needed two years of the class. She hugged her books, she was feeling confident in this class being good for her and her damaged spirit. She would pretend that it was the first day, like that last class of the other day never happened. Who knows? Maybe the punk wouldn't even be there today.

She walked smoothly through the door of her first period class, scanning the room. It was filled to its full capacity, just as it was back at her old school. Everyone wanted to be there. As she looked around she saw a long haired blonde girl sitting in the front, a nerdy looking brown haired boy drooling over her to her right, an average short haired blonde girl sitting a couple rows back, a rather antisocial black haired boy was scrunched over his desk in the left corner, a ginger haired girl staring at him from across the room, but what really caught all her attention was a boy sitting behind the ginger. He wore a different shirt then yesterday, this one red with black flames, yet there was no denying it. He was the boy from math class. The one she was still tortured over. And just like then she froze in the aisle.

He hadn't noticed her yet, he was to busy picking at the dirt beneath his fingernails. He was dirty due to not taking a shower like he needed and because he had gone out four-wheeling with a group of his rebellious friends and crashed. The friend who owned the things was seriously pissed and stomped of without a word, but everyone else had had a great time. They'd laughed until their throats were sore, ignoring the possibility that they had brain damage.

Courtney was slowly freeing herself of the grip his presence had on her and with a shake of her head she started up the aisle toward the only seat available. Unfortunately it was the seat right next to him. Unlike in math class she was unable to avoid being so close to the ogre. Spanish was too full and she was too late. She sighed lightly, pulling out the chair roughly. It screeched as it scraped the floor, making Courtney cringe.

Duncan perked then, the sound something he didn't like at all. He scowled at the sound as if to scare it into silence and parted his lips as harsh words formed in his throat. Only he stopped himself as he realized who he was about to yell at was no stranger. She was the girl in his math class that had been so desperate to avoid him. Not only that, but he had been rather cruel to her. The immense anger showing in his teal orbs hide itself and his snarl faded into a frown. "You…" he said in a hushed tone.

Courtney flinched at the sound of his voice. It wasn't snappy or rude and as such it startled her. Although she had not know him for more then a day she was already used to hearing his voice as a sharp harsh thing, much like her mother's. The way he sounded calm and almost human was so strange. "Me." she murmured in return, dropping her gaze to the ground and tucking her hands deep in her pockets as she sluggishly took her seat and waited for the bell.

The bell sounded two minutes later and between that time and now nothing was said. She felt the boy's stare on her all the while, but he did nothing to provoke her. All he did was stare. It was weird for him. Despite the fact he'd predicted her to be this perfectionist with little to no flaws in her appearance seeing her now made him do a double take. She was so different, almost like a foreign person. Instead of the mess of hair she'd been sporting previously her hair fell perfectly in place at her shoulders, no higher or lower. Her eyes were still a bit dull, but there was a new spark to them that caused her emerald eyes to gleam beautifully. On top of all that her face was no longer spotted with dirt and her clothes were wrinkleless, the perfect look for someone who was all about perfection. He smirked a bit after fully taking it all in.

Courtney sighed softly, pulling her hands from her pockets and twiddling her fingers together nervously. She wasn't liking the feeling his gaze was giving her. She wanted him to stop for she was not like those other blonde slender hot girls. She was **not** eye candy! And she refused to be someone else's bitch. It wasn't her thing. She was focused on school and aspiring to great things. And this was why she was so very close to biting his head off for staring at her.

Duncan noticed she was shaking like she'd been in math class and he raised a brow at her strange habit. No girl did what she seemed to have to do against her will. Although he was in no way interested in why she was forced to do this, not unless it helped him to screw with her. He snickered lightly, covering his mouth as he saw her steal a glance at him.

She heard his soft laugh and glared at him, not understanding what was suddenly funny. "What?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "What's so damn funny?"

He shrugged, rolling his eyes. "Shouldn't you be soaking in all this crap?" he motioned to the front, not wanting to speak to her unless it was in writing or yelling.

"No." she growled, mouth twitching from rage. "Not until you stop staring." she added, breathing in deeply and closing her eyes tightly as she breathed out.

Duncan's barely there hate for her was surfacing again. "Whatever bitch." he seethed. "It's a free country. I can do whatever the hell I well please." he looked her over a final time, stopping at her chest and licking his lips, before he turned his gaze to the front. Still he fully expected an angry reply. He only turned himself around because he knew this would make her more livid then currently.

Courtney shook ten times worse then she had been before, face quite literally turning a shade of red. "Don't call me that." she said sharply, fists quavering at her side almost as if she were positioning herself to knock his lights out and send him tumbling to the floor. And boy did she want to do it.

"Free country." he replied simply. "Bitch." he added, not teasing but seriously meaning to hurt her like he had yesterday,

"Shut up!" she snapped, shoving her face inches from his, breathing heavy as her nostrils flared and her eyes flared with disgust mingled with unbridled fury.

He snorted, her breath heating his face up like a light bulb does ones fingers. He even felt like snickering as her breath tickled him a bit. But overall he felt nothing more then pure hate. "I didn't hear you, you pest. What was that?" he pressed, wanting her to scream her thoughts out loud so he could see her get in trouble for what would probably be the first time in her life.

She bit her lip, seeing his plan easily. "I'm not stupid." she growled, rolling her eyes and leaning back away from him. "So give up your halfassed tricks and leave me alone!" she snapped. "Bastard." she said in a softer tone, glaring at the punk out of the corner of her eye so that he couldn't pull anything physical on her. Besides, she needed to listen to the Spanish teacher. She refused to get behind.

Duncan was so close to saying something en times worse then what had already been said, but he stopped himself. Instead of wasting words on her he decided to be his childish self and pull her chair out from under her.

She fell like she had with the bug, but she didn't make an audible sound. She held her yelp inside her as well as her quickly surfacing anger. She didn't need another scene. But she wanted revenge. So she kicked at his shin before standing up and dusting herself off.

He yelped as her foot made contact with his shin and he instinctively brought his leg up toward himself and started rubbing it gently. Normally this hit wouldn't bother him at all, it was just today it had already been hurt from the crash with the four-wheeler. He sighed irritably, flipping her off as he hissed, "Piece of shit." venom dripped from his words.

She flinched at his insult, but her smug smirk never faltered. She was pretty content as she reseated herself and prepared to sit through the rest of this halfway decent class.

After Spanish finally ended she rushed out, eager to get away. Yet when she found her social studies class she felt it was no better then the previous class. In fact, it was actually worse. She'd never liked the stupid subject and now she was forced to endure it with no one there to help her through. It was the most bored she'd been since the day she was forced to go to her best friends sister's wedding. She had thought it would be fun, an experience, and it was an experience…just a very boring one.

The time ticked by for what felt like a million years before she was finally freed from the boredom that was social studies. She jumped up from her seat as quickly then as she had in Spanish. Only she took her time walking toward her science class. She stopped by her locker just so she could look at it and practice the lock. She got it on her first try in under thirty seconds. The feat made her smile, but that was all. It wasn't enough to bring her the happiness she'd been void of for months. And as such she soon moved on to the path toward her science class.

She yawned heavily upon seeing the number up on the second floor. Did she really want to do this? She shrugged lightly, striding in lazily. She had full faith in this being a big bust despite her love of school. Nothing was turning out right. At least that's what she said before she saw him. No, not Duncan. He would have made it all worse. No. She saw that boy from when she went on a walk. Her face lit up like the fourth of July then and her nonexistent smile spread clear across her glowing face. "Zane!" she cried, running to the square black table that was his.

Zane glanced up lazily, not recognizing her voice at first. However once her voice registered in his mind his face lit up much like hers. "Courtney!" he cried back, motioning for her to sit down next to him.

She happily obliged, scooting her chair closer to him. "I can't believe you're in my class." she gushed. "It's great!" she was leaning toward the table, head turned Zane's way, as she rested her head in the palm of her hand. She was willing to listen to anything he had to say to her. Unlike Duncan she trusted that he wouldn't be crude to her and would do well in entertaining her.

Zane chuckled softly, so very different from how Duncan laughed. It was much sweeter and strangely genuine. "Yeah." his pearly white teeth showed as he smiled. "What're the odds?" he questioned while tapping his finger thoughtfully against his chin.

Courtney giggled. "Who cares!" she said exuberantly. "At least I have something to look forward to now everyday." she sighed contentedly, smile transforming into near infatuation.

"Me too." he admitted with no struggle. "I'm glad you're happy with it as well." he added with a wiggle of his brows.

Courtney snickered. "You're so sweet." she murmured dreamily. She wasn't sure if she liked him as much as she was putting off or if it was merely her needing to have someone to lean on and confide in that drove her to be so foolish. She guessed it was the latter. She was really missing all her friends and the things they'd do together during and after school. So Zane was an excellent replacement in such a time as this. She grimaced at the thought. It was an awful thing to say about him. Here he was being so kind to her, someone he barely knew, and she was over there thinking about using him as a distraction. It had nothing to do with him being him or anything like that, all that mattered was the simple fact he was filling the void. He was her little doll. Almost like that of a puppet.

Zane wasn't sure about Courtney yet. Sure he liked her and he was pleasantly surprised that they were able to hit it off so well considering their vast differences, but it didn't feel right. Not yet. So the way she was acting rather flirty worried him a bit. "Um…" he mumbled. "Do you…like me?"

Courtney's eyes widened. "W-What!" she spit out. "I mean, of course I like you. You're a good person." she said warmly, touching his arm with her hand that wasn't supporting her head. "But as a friend." she insured, recovering quite well.

Zane brightened up again. "Oh, ok. That's good." he nodded happily. "I didn't want to string you along." he informed Courtney, suave smile matching his tone perfectly. He was so different from Duncan, so very, very different. At least if you didn't count their appearances. In that aspect they were near identical. Still, it was what was on the inside that made the difference, and Duncan had an awful core as far as Courtney could tell.

"Don't worry." Courtney said, lifting her hand in the air in front of them both as a shrug of the sorts. "You would've been able to do that even if you tried." she laughed at her own joke.

He beamed at her. "No, I wouldn't. Perfectionists are always hard to get."

"You bet." she agreed, nodding firmly and fanned herself with a hand. It was rather warm in this science class.

"So what've you been up to?" he changed the topic, more interested in what she did away from school then how highly she thought of herself. He raised a brow at her expectantly, fingers tapping on the table rhythmically.

Courtney's vigor disintegrated some at the thought of her activities at home. She did nothing, nothing but sulk, argue, and be put down. Sure their were occasions back at her old home where she went on walks to the park or the movies with her friends, but even back then she didn't go out as frequently as most teenagers. But maybe since she was new around here she could act like that was why she stayed at home. Not that it would work for sure. It was merely a possibility. She shrugged. "Nothing much." she sighed, making it plain as day that she was trying to hide something. And in a way she wanted him to pry into her lies, she wanted to tell.

Zane frowned, eyeing her suspiciously. "That's a lie." he said right out there, no hesitation in his words or mind. "What's up?"

Courtney, on the other hand, hesitated greatly. She rubbed her hands together, tugged at her sleeves, and bit her lip all before she finally got herself to open her mouth. "I hate it here." she murmured. "I moved here only a couple of days ago. I miss my home."

Zane felt bad for calling her out on her deceit now. He didn't mean for her to grow sad like she was. "never mind, I just thought-" she cut him off.

She sighed miserably. "And there was this **awful** boy in my math class!" she cried. "He was so mean to me and I don't get why! Everyone here has been so-so…rude." she settled on this word to summarize her treatment throughout the day. "He threw things at me constantly and put a bug in one of the papa wads and-" she couldn't go on without feeling like crying again. "It was just bad."

Zane chuckled lightly. "You used to go to one of those preppy schools didn't you?"

"Excuse me?" she said flatly, staring blankly over into his red eyes.

"You know…" he waved his hand about in a way one would when demonstrating something. "Those schools for rich, smart people who don't want to be around idiots."

"No!" she said sharply, pausing to reflect on her time there. Maybe…maybe he was right. No one was ever stupid there, there were maybe one or two punks in the entire school, and she had many more friends in just a few days then she had here. She frowned. "Maybe…" she admitted. "My parents must've never told me."

He smirked. "That's it then. You're merely not used to how idiotic most people can be and are. Normal people don't go to where you did so you've never been exposed to them." he snickered afterward.

She smiled a bit because knowing this did make her situation of confusion make a hell of a lot more sense. However, this wasn't the only thing bothering her and she wanted to see how he would handle this conundrum. He seemed quite gifted at turning something awful over on its head so that it seemed natural. "But…that's not all." she admitted quietly. "I told my mom about it and she was so cruel. She acted like it didn't matter and I was being a baby." she whined lightly under her breath. "Basically I should get over it."

Zane grimaced. He wasn't a hundred percent sure how to tiptoe around this one. He didn't know her well enough to be sure of what she would react positively to. So with a soft sigh he tried his best. "Well…maybe she's stressed." he offered.

Courtney's eyes bulged from her head. "Stressed!" she spat. "Stressed by ass! She's the one who wanted to come here because it would be 'a break'!" she used her fingers as quotation marks. "Why on earth would **she** be stressed?" Courtney's breathing was now elevated. "It was her idea!"

Zane drew back a bit. He was used to being yelled at like this, but he hadn't entirely expected such an adverse reaction from Courtney. "Easy." he cautioned, using his hands to emphasis. "Look, she probably thought it would be like that, but it isn't turning out so great for her. Maybe she can't find a job or something she expected to be here." Courtney scrunched her eyes as she struggled to see things his way. "And it probably isn't helping that she sees you being so miserable when she figured you'd do fine." he shrugged. "Maybe you should try being happier for her."

"Humph!" the brunette stuck her nose in the air in arrogance. "That witch doesn't deserve to see me happy, especially when I'm not. She'll only try hurting me more then she already is!" Courtney snapped, fists shaking slightly. "That's here thing! And…kinda mine…" she murmured uncomfortably. "When someone is happy we have to destroy it. It's awful."

Zane snorted. "You haven't done it to me yet." he reminded her. "I still love being her next to you." he smiled warmly, loving how her emerald eyes began to shine like earlier as she grew happier.

Courtney's smile widened and she felt her spirit start to lift. Perhaps he was right. Maybe she wasn't quite as screwed up as she was bent on believing. "Thanks." she said softly.

"Anytime." he assured the confused girl before him. "I like you. We could be friends. And friends help each other." his smile widened more.

Their conversation died down after that point. Neither really had anything more to say to the other and there was only ten minutes left anyway. She needed to get something out of today despite the fact most of what was being said was all about forms and permission for internet and the like. She sighed lightly, waiting impatiently for the sound of the bell while simultaneously sneaking glances over at Zane. He caught her eye a few times and smiled back at her, but she didn't care much. She loved the way he smiled at her. It was so endearing, heartwarming, and enchanting.

A minute remained when Zane grew tired of paying no attention to Courtney so he drew out his schedule and asked her, "Hey, Courtney." he waited for her to turn her head his way before continuing. "What do you have next?" his eyes widened in anticipation.

Courtney peered down at her schedule which she'd taped to the front of her books. "Um…drama." she perked. "Oh! I love drama." she sighed happily.

"Really!" he exclaimed. "Me too!" the atmosphere about them was that of pure bliss. They stared at each other for the next fifteen seconds before the bell rang and everyone began standing. "Hey. Wanna walk with me?"

Courtney grinned, nodding. "Yeah."

They stood in unison and walked in the same stride, each barely paying attention to what was in front of them so that they could look at each other instead. "And what about that guy?" Zane said nonchalantly, starting something he figured would be a nice long topic for their next class.

"Huh?" Courtney frowned.

"That guy. The one you hate. What's his name?" Zane was quite eager to find out if he knew him or not as well as find out what grade he was in. He figured he was a senior, most seniors were jerks.

Courtney looked over to a couple pressed up against the lockers who were kissing passionately as she thought of a response. In the end she shrugged, "I don't have a clue. He never said his name." she scowled. "And I don't care what it is. I hope I never know. He's such an ass! He can go jump off a cliff!" she was getting stressed like she always did when thinking of people she was not happy with.

Despite how irritated and possibly hurt Courtney seemed Zane couldn't help laughing at her. As she went on and on she kept making funny hand gestures such as strangling movements, punching, and so on which reminded him of a crazy person he'd once known.

She stopped a moment to stare intensely at him, but surprisingly she didn't snap at him. She smiled happily and laughed along with him. "Sorry about that." she apologized with no shame. "He just gets under my skin. That's all." she shrugged.

"Here it is." he pointed, stopping her from walking past it by sticking her other arm out in front of her. "We don't want to go on to the gym now do we?" he asked playfully.

Courtney hit him lightly. "No. I hated it the first year I endured it. No more thank you."

Zane let his arm fall back to his side as they entered the room side by side, just as in unison as they had been before. Only, like some many times in the past few weeks she found her joy dieing. Zane…" she murmured, pulling a his sleeve.

"Hmm? What is it?" he asked gently, raising a brow at her.

"Him. It's him." she pointed over where he sat all by himself much like he always did when she saw him.

Zane followed her finger to where he was, head resting in both his hands and a half bored half miserable expression plastered on his face. "Oh!" Zane cried with a snicker. "Duncan!" he nodded. "Of course it would be him."

"What!" Courtney gasped. "You **know** this brut!" her throat caught and she struggled to say what she needed to. "But-But…how?" she felt betrayed.

Zane shrugged. "I've known him for years. He's a pretty good friend, you just have to get to know him. And yes, I know he can be an ass, but he has his reasons." he paused. "Doesn't everyone?" he offered this question to her so as to stump her. This way he knew she wouldn't be going on about how choosing to associate himself with someone like Duncan was a bad decision. He knew she'd go there.

It worked. Courtney found no words to excuse everyone but the boy sitting all alone before her from this. She sighed irritably. She kind of hated how good Zane was with words. Weren't punks supposed to all be illiterate bigmouths? She supposed not all of them were. Not anymore.

"Duncan!" Zane called his name out, waving exuberantly back and forth as he grew closer.

Duncan's dull eyes and deep frown didn't last long after he heard his name. He grinned with what was actually true happiness, eyes lighting up like fireworks. "Dude!" he exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in forever." he hopped up to go and met him halfway when his eyes landed on the person standing next to him. His happiness vanished as if it had never been there, his eyes cold and mouth verging on a snarl. It was her. The girl from both Spanish and math. She looked so sad, afraid even, her arms stiff at her side, head hung slightly, and eyes full of bitterness. But he only cared about why she was everywhere he went. He didn't want to see her face no matter how pretty she was and he certainly didn't want to see one of his friends fall for her insanity. She was just like all the other preps, stuck-up, full of herself, a bitch, a nuisance, and irrevocably annoying.

Zane stopped as he reached Duncan, meeting his cold eyes a bit tentatively. He liked Duncan, a lot, but he knew to be careful when his eyes gleamed as they were at this moment. It was at times like this that he was prone to his fits of rage and if Zane had to guess it was all thanks to Courtney. He wasn't sure what had happened between them, but it did not look pretty. "Duncan…this is-"

Duncan's mouth twitched, fists quaking noticeably. "Zane." he growled through clenched teeth. "Who is this? And what are you doing with her?"

Zane swallowed hard. "It's Courtney. And…she's…my friend." Zane flinched before Duncan even moved, expecting a retaliation of some sort. When it didn't come he blinked a couple of times and regained composure.

Duncan snorted, losing a bit of tenseness. "Bad choice." he growled. "She's the opposite of sweet. She's a hateful little bitch."

"Duncan!" Zane cried, not wanting to see the two get into it.

Courtney glowered mercilessly at Duncan, moving closer to Zane and wrapping her arms around his arm closest to her. "Duncan." she hissed, the word rolling off her tongue like a curse.

"Courtney." he said back in a similar tone.

Zane looked desperately back and forth between the two. "Well!" he cried, clapping his hands together. "Now that we've all met each other why don't we just sit down now?" he smiled falsely. "…Please…" he murmured hopelessly, smile falling into a frown.

Courtney only ceased her hate toward Duncan so that Zane might not be so miserable. She sighed lightly, staring sadly at her friend. "Yeah. Ok." She pulled Zane gently over to the opposite side of the table from Duncan, making sure to scowl darkly at him when she was sure Zane wasn't looking.

Duncan never agreed to cease fighting, but never the less he reseated himself in his place, taking his former position.

It was silent for a time, each digesting all that had happened. Zane was wondering how on earth he'd manage the both of them when he had to be around the pair at the same time and whether he was smart enough to do it. Courtney was feeling bad about making Zane suffer when she was trying to do the same to Duncan and as such she wondered what some ways were for her to ruin Duncan's life without affecting Zane's. She drew a blank. Duncan, on the other hand, was barely lingering on Zane. He cared about him without a doubt, but he didn't see the point in torturing himself over someone he knew would never abandon him. He was merely so angered by this girl because he feared that she would soon become more then a friend to Zane and steal away all his attention. He had a ton others besides Zane, but Zane was the only one so close to him. He knew mountains of crude that Duncan would kill him for if he told anyone, especially a **girl**.

After about forty-five minutes of awkward silence and icy stares Zane was the one to open his mouth to speak. And unfortunately for Courtney he chose Duncan to talk to. "So…what'd you do yesterday Duncan?" he made sure to add his name in the sentence to be sure he knew he was interested in him now. He'd asked him this too because he notices a few bruises on him.

Duncan smirked, shrugging. "Just some four-wheeling." he sent Courtney a look as if to say, 'ha, he chose me over you'.

Courtney furrowed her brow in a mixture of confusion and hurt, staring pitifully at Zane.

Zane noticed, feeling bad, but ignored her. "Sounds fun. Maybe you can take me sometime!"

Duncan nodded, arms crossed. "Yeah. Definitely."

Much to Courtney's chagrin they keep up their conversation, excluding her, up until the bell. And it didn't help that it was the most boring thing she'd ever heard. All they ever talked about was getting in trouble, nearly killing themselves with their ridiculous stunts, and playing pranks. Courtney was so freaking happy as the bell interrupted one of their stories mid-sentence. "Thank God!" she sighed, throwing her arms up in the air and standing quickly.

"See ya later man." Zane waved as he started to walk away, pausing as he passed Courtney. "Look…Courtney…" he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I'm…sorry."

Him apologizing was all it took. Her anger toward him for ignoring her disappeared into thin air. She smiled cheerfully up at him then, eyes soft as they looked upon him. "Don't worry about it. I get it. You'd already talked to me anyway." she shrugged.

"Yeah…" Zane muttered, still rubbing. He wasn't about to tell her the real reason behind his intense attention toward to Duncan. He wouldn't live to see the next day if he did. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Oh! You don't have next class with me?" she pursed her lips, giving him puppy dog eyes.

"No." he shook his head, keeping it as simple as possible.

"Then…what do you have?" she was truly interested in what she was losing him too.

"Spanish and Gym." he sighed, looking out to the crowd of people pillowing by in the hall. "I better go." he said, going without another word.

"Bye!" Courtney cried, waving at him long after he was gone as well as smiling with content at how nice he was. To bad her happiness was, once more, short lived.

Duncan came by and purposefully bumped her shoulder, knocking her off balance. He snickered devilishly at his accomplishment, giving her a smug smirk as their eyes locked for a fraction of a second, time slowing in the perpetual moment, before time shifted into fast motion and he carried on without a look back in her direction.

Courtney couldn't believe him. Even after having been in this class and not said a word to her he still was able to push her around like a rag doll. She huffed, straitening herself back up to her fullest height. She was the last out of the class because of her pouting, but it didn't matter. It gave her the chance to think about the punk and realize he would never cease being an ass no matter the circumstances and she would just have to ignore it if she wanted to make it through this hell. "I promise." she said to herself, swearing to only snap if he did something irrevocable. And she sincerely hoped he was at least better then that.

She went through the rest of the day completely flustered and bored. She wanted to lay her head down and sleep. But she did learn at least one thing through it all. Zane was a big fat liar. He didn't have Spanish or gym. He had the same classes as she did on both accounts. How did she know? The teacher called his name when taking attendance. She grew angered by his deceit, but figured as good natured as he was that he had good reason for hiding the truth. The only doubt that lingered in her mind was when, in 6th, Duncan didn't show. And that's when she knew what was happening. They were skipping together. Zane really did like him more.

**Near the end I got a bit lazy. Sorry. x.x But I rather like how it turned out as a whole. I hope you did too. Some constructive criticism wouldn't hurt a bit! Plz review! :D**


	4. Playing Favorites

**Ok. First of all I have to say I have only been to a fair once. Like a lot of things I don't know if I made it realistic. Enjoy anyway!**

She went home in a daze, not taking much of anything in. Not even her mother's moody fits made her flinch or caused tears to form. She went through that day and the next the same way. Through it all she wasn't completely sure if Zane noticed. If he did he said nothing. He merely waited for her time of uncertainty to run out. And it did. Finally.

On Friday of the second week of school she became her same old self once more. As such a smile graced Zane's lips for the first time since she slipped into her state of bewilderment. He wouldn't say it out loud but he had been beyond worried for her all the while. He wouldn't have lasted much longer with ignoring her. Duncan would laugh at him for being so feeble minded and so drawn into a girls delusional world, but he barely cared. She was his friend. She mattered.

Then, as school ended that Friday, Zane made a decision that would effect Courtney's course in life soon after. Only he didn't know it when he asked, "Hey, Courtney." he pulled her to the side as math class came to an end and everyone else fled the confinement of the school.

She perked, smiling warmly up into his mysterious eyes. "What's up Zane?" her smooth voice entered the air, sending chills down Zane's back.

"Well, there's supposed to be a fair going on later today. I wanted to know if you might…you know…come with me." he shrugged his shoulders, letting go of her tiny arm in the process.

"Oh?" she cocked her head to the side slightly. "I've never been to a fair before." she sighed sadly. "My parents aren't to into the whole family time thing."

Zane frowned lightly. "Sorry…" he murmured. "It's really cool though!" he insured her, backing it up with many reasons. "There're some rides, like Enterprise, some rollercoaster's, a carousel, mazes, carnival games to win prizes, and all sorts of stuff!" he clapped his hands together excitedly. "But the best ride of all is the Ferris Wheel. It's not fast paced or anything, but it's kinda…" he trailed off, stopping himself from uttering the dreaded word. Romantic. Instead he filled it in with, "…nice."

Courtney knew nice wasn't his first word choice, she merely didn't know or care much what it originally was. She was more interested in where it was and how they were going to get there. "Sounds fun!" she cried, smile widening. If anyone could make going out in a foreign place fun it would be Zane. He had such a free spirit almost constantly. He made her want to be as loose as he was even if she didn't think it was a possible feat. "When is it?"

He shrugged, doing flips of all kinds on the inside as she basically gave him the thumbs up on wanting to go. It was hard to contain himself. "It's been going on all day, I just figured you'd want to go home and do something before heading out. I dunno."

She chuckled lightly, looking away from him as her laughter died away and her expression turned sad. "No." she said softly. "I don't need to be home, not today." she swallowed hard.

Zane got the point she tried to half hide. "Trouble with your mom?" he asked gently, not needing to know the answer but wanting to see if he might be able to help.

She shook her head. "Not just her. Dad too. They're both always bickering over very little thing that doesn't go according to plan." she sighed. "Like yesterday they were supposed to go out on a double date with some couple mom met, but dad's work called in literally **moments** before they walked out the door. He tried his hardest to explain to her that making money to support her and me was more important then their social network, but…she wouldn't listen. She got so mad, throwing things at him and screaming in his face." she felt tears trying to work their way into her eyes, but she forced them back down. "In the end she kicked him out. He probably stayed in a hotel or at work last night. I don't really know."

Zane hung his head some, cringing and biting his lip more frequently as she fed him more and more information on the topic of her crummy home life. Yet he didn't say anything, he let her spill all the pain out like she needed to. He didn't exactly enjoy caring her burden with her, but he did love to see her happy and this was a prime way to accomplish this.

"But…he wasn't there when I got up today. It made me think a lot. I had to wonder if it wasn't really the dinner that set her off, or something deeper. I also thought about whether he had deserved it all. But mostly I was stuck on if he would be back soon or not." she sighed softly, closing her eyes tight. "Cause even before the move they'd fight some. Just…not as bad. I don't know what to do…"

Zane figured this was the end of her story and it was his turn to give input. "They did this in front of you?" he said, regretting it immediately after and mentally slapping himself for it.

"No." she shook her head. "Not exactly. I guess that's why it was so bad." she reopened her eyes to see his sad face before her. "I told them I was going upstairs to study some for a test in Spanish, but halfway up I remembered I'd left my books downstairs and turned back around to get them. Only…you know. The phone rand and…I stopped."

"Sorry…I…don't know what to say." for once he found nothing to make this better for her. All he saw that she needed was a break away from her home and more so her family.

She forced a smile. "Forget about it. I shouldn't have said anything. I guess I just wanted you to know why I couldn't go back and, if it was obvious, why I was so uneasy. I didn't want it to end up ruining the fair later on." she shrugged a bit.

He nodded. "Ok." a pause as he looked back and realized that the teacher was looking impatiently back at them. "Wanna go now then?"

"How?" she asked with confusion. "We already missed the bus to your house. We'd have to walk." she cringed at the notion, not loving labor all that much. She was, after all, a spoiled little princess.

He smirked deviously. "A car." he said simply.

Her eyes widened. "Oh my God!" she brought her hands to her face from surprise. "**You** can drive?" she was never friends with someone who could drive as well as had their own car. It was either one or the other.

He nodded, brimming with confidence and so full of himself that he felt he might burst. "Yep. She's a beauty too."

"What's it look like!" she asked eagerly, jumping up and down due to the shear excitement of being able to drive somewhere without parent supervision. Her parents would freak out if she said anything about it. So, like everything, she would keep it to herself and Zane.

"Come on. Let's go see." he said it as if he had never seen it either, a first time for the both of them, when he had seen it for nearly a year now. He took her by the hand then and led her out of the vacant school.

"What about Duncan?" she asked with a disgusted look to match her tone.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" a pause. "You don't actually **care** about him, do you?" he teased, chuckling lightly at the notion.

"What! No!" she was repulsed by the thought. "I just know you two have been talking about going four-wheeling like all week. I didn't think you were one to go back on a promise." she shrugged as she finished her sentence.

Zane shook his head somewhat. "Nah. It wasn't a promise, just an idea. Besides, I'm sure he'll understand." he said with a hint of doubt. Duncan wasn't the best at handling being ignored.

"If you say so." she murmured so that only she could hear, all the while not believing Zane in the least. She may have been new, but she could tell when someone would take lack of attention well or not. And Duncan was definitely under the category of not handling it. Very much so.

They reached the back lot moments later, his car being the only one left. This being the case she immediately knew which one to squeal over. However there was no faking necessary. She deemed it the absolute coolest car in existence. It was a red with flames streaking down both sides and not a dent or scratch in sight. She circled around it about fifty times in order to make sure. "This is unfreaking believable!" she spazzed, rubbing her hands on the leather seats and even the red outside of the car. She couldn't get enough of it. "I mean…I've **never** seen such a cool car!" she half laughed, one of those laughs that is more like a choked out sigh of disbelief. "My old friends didn't have anything like it! Neither did their parents. I-I just…" she sighed with infatuation.

Zane was cracking up laughing at her excitement. Over the past two weeks this was the happiest she'd been around him. And to think all he had to do was show her his car. He rolled his eyes at the irony. Yet he felt there was no better time for something so little to make her so happy. "It's a Ferrari Convertible." he informed her in case of the off chance she waned to know this trivial fact.

"It's wonderful!" she swooned, not hesitating in jumping into the passenger seat of the car. "Now come on!" she urged, motioning to the driver seat enthusiastically.

Zane was happier then usual, taking pride in being able to rid her of her troubling thoughts. "Alright, alright." he nodded. "I'm coming." he quickly walked around the car to the driver side and smoothly got in, pulling his keys from his pocket. They had an assortment of key chains on it which Courtney quickly took notice of.

"Oh!" she cried. "You have a lot of key chains. Where'd you get them?"

He chuckled lightly. "I can't tell you about them all. Pick one."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, making sure not to waist her chance at learning something about him. "I suppose the turtle one. It looks cute."

"Ok." he said warmly, sliding it off the key before he stuck it into the ignition. The engine roared and the car jumped to life. They both felt the vibrations that coursed through the car. "I got it from a good friend who lived here a long time ago." he winced thinking about it…about **her**. "She was my first crush. We had basically grown up together so she had been my best friend for like forever. The only problem was that I was to chicken to do anything about how I felt." they were at the light leaving the school. "She ended up moving far away, clear across the states. But the day before I never saw her again she gave me this. She told me to always keep it with me, especially when I was able to drive. 'It is a key chain after all.' is what she'd said. Really she thought it would help keep me safe and she wanted me to never to forget her." he sighed bitterly. "At least I think so. In a way we were the same. Neither of us were very good with spilling our emotions and just saying we cared."

Courtney's eyes were wide and her lip quivered, they way all girl's looked after hearing a sob story about romance. "Aww…" she cooed. "That's so sweet and sad." she took the thing from his hand as he dangled it before her to look at it more closely. It didn't take long for her to see that on the shell of the turtle were the letters Z + R carved. Courtney smiled at how cute it all was. Yet at the same time she didn't care that this girl was now gone. It was because she didn't want to share, especially when she knew she would most certainly lose. "It's really nice." she said half to herself.

"Yeah." he sighed. "I carry it around just as she said too."

Courtney grinned, but didn't say anything more on the topic as they pulled out on the main road. She didn't want to be stuck on something that seemed to tug at his heart strings and cause him this bitter sadness. "What about that one?" she pointed to a different one.

He shook his head in the negative. "I said **one**. Not two or five." he chuckled lightly.

She made a pouty face. "Aww, come on. Just one more." she insisted.

One glimpse of her face was all it took and he was sucked into doing as she wanted him to. He sighed, "Alright. One more. Only one." he looked seriously into her emerald to make sure they were clear on this.

She nodded furtively. "Ok!"

He told her all about it, the Florida tag, which took around five minutes. But of course it wasn't enough. She still wished to know more and more about each and every one of them. He complained for a minute for each one after as well, but he always gave in and told her the story behind them. He had quite a lot of them too so by the time they reached the end of them all they were just five minutes from the fair, both laughing from the last story he had told.

"Oh God! That was a great back-story!" Courtney cried, wiping at her eyes as tears of joy spilled over. "I wish you had more stories like that. It was the best!"

He struggled to control his laughter as he spoke. "Yeah, well…I'm all out of stories." a pause. "You've gone through all my key chains." he made sure to be clear on this so there was no complaining on her part over him keeping tales from her.

"Aww, man." she sighed. "Whatever though! Look!" she cried. "That's it isn't it!" she pointed over to the quickly approaching sights of rides and all sorts of fun looking activities.

He nodded, face brightening even more then before. "Yep!" he loved fairs. They were the one thing he was able to go to without going to far out. He didn't like traveling far, otherwise it wouldn't be as much of a problem.

It took them around two minutes to find a place to park, and when they did Courtney was the first one out of the car just like she'd been the first one in it before. "Check it out!" she pointed toward the first ride she laid eyes on. "What is it?" her eyes shone brightly, emerald green nearly lime to his eyes.

He blinked twice to make sure he wasn't crazy, but when he opened his eyes then her eyes where back to her natural color. He was quite bewildered. He did recover quite quickly though. "It's a carousel." he said with a grin.

"It looks fun." she said with content, clasping her hands together at her chest.

"Wanna go?" he offered, putting his hand out to her so that she could take it if she wished.

"Yes!" she cried with unbound cheer. However she did not take his hand, she was to excited over riding the ride to even notice. She merely ran off ahead of him, looking over her shoulder as she went to call after him. "Hurry up slow poke!"

Zane frowned slightly, disappointed in the fact that she was more interested in the fair then him. Yet he was simultaneously pleased that she was at least having fun. But he knew he couldn't go after her right away, he had to go pay twenty or so bucks for tickets for each ride. He walked quickly over to a stand, a sweet looking woman staring back at him. "I need some tickets." he informed her, handing her the twenty.

She nodded, smiling at him. "Of course." she pulled out a string of tickets and placed them in his hands. "Here you are." After that she pretty much ignored him. If he wasn't going to pay for something then he was of no use to her.

Since he understood the meaning of her silence he was quick to run after Courtney toward the carousel.

Courtney paused as she reached the gate that surrounded the carousel, giggling happily. "You take to long."

Zane rolled his eyes. "You have to get the tickets genius." he poked her in the side playfully.

She puffed her lips out, sticking her nose in the air in mock anger. "No you don't." she said, knowing full well that she was a hundred percent wrong on this account.

"Let's go." he chortled, grabbing onto her wrist and dragging her to the line. It was decently short and they were able to get on without waiting.

Courtney naturally didn't wait to be told whether she could get on, just trusted that Zane would take care of everything for the both of them. And he did. He handed the person standing at the gate two tickets so they could both get on before hopping along after Courtney.

"Zane! Sit here!" she half ordered, patting the horse.

Zane obliged without a word, hoping on it easily. "You know. You're like a child when it comes to this." he thought out loud.

She scowled at him. "It's not my fault." the ride started going then. "If my parents had just taken me like every other parent did then I would be able to stay calm." she said matter of factly, nodding firmly.

Zane laughed lightly. "So I've been told." he murmured, closing his eyes as the ride went on. He liked how it felt when he didn't use his sense of sight. It created a sense of ease, almost like he was flying, as he went around in a circle with that music playing in the background.

Courtney on the other hand was being weirder then ever. She was hanging off the sides of the horses and backwards, any way she could. Her laughs issued forth from her throat, infecting many of the children who were within earshot.

As the kiddy ride halted the whimsical girl on it bounced off and over to look around her t see what else she could do. "Zane!" she cried. "Come look!"

Zane was slower in getting off, but he eventually got there. "What is it Courtney?" he asked softly, standing beside her now.

"That one right there." she directed his vision to the spinning ride not to far from them.

His eyes got wide and he felt his stomach drop. His mouth filled with extra saliva and his throat caught. "Um…Enterprise." he mumbled barely loud enough to be heard.

"She stared confusedly at him. "What's wrong?" she pressed, cocking her head to the side ever so slightly. "Do you not like it?"

"No-No…that's not it." he lied, shaking his head back in forth. He was in denial. Of course he didn't like it. He'd never liked the thing since he first came here. It was so dizzying and the way it was angled didn't help a bit. "I just…" he trailed off, feeling unusually sick.

Courtney sighed softly, suppressing a laugh. "It's ok." a pause. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to." she laid her hand on his shoulder, smiling sweetly.

"Really!" he gasped in disbelief, already feeling better.

She nodded. "Sure. I can have fun on other stuff with you too." her grin widened.

He let out a deep sigh. "Thank you so much." he put his hand over top of hers, genuinely meaning every word of it. He couldn't believe how nice she was about it.

"Now gimme." she commanded, taking her hand out from under his and sticking it out in front of his face.

He looked blankly at her. "What…?"

"A ticket. Duh!" she rolled her eyes. "You should know better then that."

He shook his head. "You're right." he agreed, rolling his eyes at her in return as he handed a single ticket over to her.

"Thanks!" she cried, rushing off to wait for the ride of death. Zane shivered at the thought. He felt he should've stopped her, but he didn't have the heat to burst her bubble. He figured if she had the guts to face the beast then she should be allowed to try it out on her own without him influencing her decision.

This ride took a while to get on, but once she did she had the time of her life. It spun around in circles so fast! And contrary to her screams she **loved** it! It was the most exhilarating thing she'd done in so very long. Sure there were moments where she felt a bit queasy, but it wasn't enough to ruin her time on the spectacular thrill ride. She was even still laughing as she stumbled off the ride.

Zane perked as the ride came to a stop, walking over to met her at the gate. He smirked as he noticed she was off kilter, one of the many annoying effects of riding the death trap.

Courtney wondered if this was what it was like for people who got drunk. It wasn't as bad as her parents made it out to be, but it certainly wasn't a grand thing. "Zane!" she waved, nearly running into the gate as she went.

He waved back at her, hurrying over to her side so that she didn't wind up falling on her face trying to walk while dizzy. "Easy." he whispered in her ear as he supported her. "It makes you seriously dizzy. I know." he swallowed a sick feeling working its way up at the thought.

She laughed. "Ok." she agreed, letting him take her as he wanted, which was to some of the slower rides. The first being a short swan ride. She enjoyed it greatly, liking the soothing feeling of being on water after such a rough ride beforehand.

Zane was happy that she was happy and decided that he was pretty good at picking rides and as such started picking all the places they went. They traveled further and further in with each ride too. They got on another soothing ride, a swing ride that lifted into the air, she rode the teacup ride on her own as she had the enterprise, making the tickets even again, and he coaxed her onto a rollercoaster with a bit of a struggle. All the while he feared he'd get sick on it, yet miraculously he did not. It was actually fun for him and her. Neither hated it like they thought they would.

Later on after a few slide rides Zane found a petting zoo and paid a buck or two for her to feed some of the animals. He thought it was a huge waste when they could find animals on the side of the rode and feed them bread crumbs, but he didn't say so. He just smiled brightly at her as she enjoyed herself immensely. They only had a few dollars left after that and four tickets. They could go on two more things, only one that she wanted to. He had planed the last ride all day long and refused to have it slip from his fingers like this. Courtney was looking tired anyway so he figured she was about done with it all.

"Is there a maze?" she asked softly, yawning. Her feet ached after so much walking and she only wanted to experience one last thing.

"I'm sure there is!" he said with a quick nod. "Come on." he motioned to the right. "I think I saw one over here when we went by it earlier."

She smiled wanly, following alongside for once as they trotted toward one of the few things they hadn't visited yet.

"Two for the mirror maze." Zane yawned, holding out the tickets necessary.

The person yanked the tickets from his hand, stuffing them where they belonged in an angry fashion. He obviously did not want to be there.

"Let's go!" Courtney cried, latching onto Zane's hand and dragging him along. But she wasn't stupid. Through all the twisted and turns she made sure to keep her other hand out in front of her so she didn't smash into a wall and knock herself out because of it.

Unfortunately Zane wasn't so lucky. He was so busy trying to get Courtney to let go and control the way he swung as she took around corner after corner that he slammed into just about every wall possible. "Ow! Oh!" he cried every few seconds, not able to get any other word in to tell her. The only thing that saved him was his clumsiness. There was a rock out in the path they had to take to get out of the maze and when he went around the corner his foot caught it and he was sent tumbling forward. He had been so close to Courtney that he took her down with him.

Courtney hadn't expected the fall and as such didn't have time to brace herself. "Shit!" she cried as she hit the ground, groaning lightly.

"Oh God!" Zane cried. "I'm sorry! So, so, sorry!" he said again and again, shaking his head in disbelief at himself.

Courtney tried to hold in a laugh at him, but couldn't do it for more then a couple of seconds. After that she burst into laughter, convulsing she was laughing so hard. "I-I'm sorry." she spit out, starting to cry as well.

Zane stared blankly at her for a minute or so, but soon got the hint that she was in no way mad or sad. She was in a fit of hysteria over him. He smirked, joining her in her laughter soon after. He was so elated in fact that he barely noticed the awkward position they were in, her beneath his larger body with his arms sitting on hers, his legs spread out around her waist, and their faces not far apart.

It took a while, but Courtney finally mentioned the fact that he was pinning her down once her laughter subsided. "Um…Zane…" she trailed off. "I can't move."

Zane blushed a deep crimson then, quickly jumping to his feet as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "S-Sorry." he stuttered.

She giggled at him, raising to her feet and dusting herself off before speaking. "Whatever. It was fun." she patted him on the head like a dog. "But we should finish this." she pointed to the now visible exit.

He nodded, leading the way as they finished the confusing maze. The light that greeted them was dull, yet at the same time made them cringe. It was sunset now and about time for the fair to shut down for the night. There wasn't much time left for the Ferris Wheel. This being the case Zane was quick to open his mouth to speak. Yet it still wasn't quick enough.

"Oh!" he heard Courtney cry, pointing as she'd done all day. "Zane! A game!" she squealed. "The prizes are so cute! I wish I had one of them." she sighed.

Zane looked in his pockets. He didn't have much money left for this. But it least it didn't take tickets, otherwise it would be a definite no. "I only have three bucks left." he informed her, showing her as well.

She smiled still. "So? You still can try once, right!" she clasped her hands together on her chest as she did whenever she was begging and hoping dearly she would get her way.

He shrugged. "I suppose I can." he walked coolly over to the stand where the man was twirling something small in his hand. "Um, sir." Zane murmured, the man giving him an icy stare. Zane frowned lightly at him, showing him he did in fact have money to pay. "I want to play."

The man looked him over lazily, taking the remainder of his money in exchange for four small basketballs. "The rules are simple." he sighed. "Hit two in and get a small prize, three medium, and all of them for a large."

Zane nodded, getting into position to throw the balls. He launched the first in the air and it swooshed. He grinned over at Courtney, wanting to see her face.

She was cheering for him, pumping her fists in the air. "Yes! Go Zane!"

This gave him a boost in confidence he'd be lacking otherwise. Once more it went right in. Now he was guaranteed a prize for her. But he wasn't sure he could do it again. He shot the ball into the air, it bouncing around the rim for a bit, before it went in. He sighed with relief.

Courtney was all over the place. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" she cried.

"You've got one left." the man informed him, pointing at the remaining ball.

Zane swallowed hard. If he didn't make it, he would only get the medium prize. He didn't know if he could take that even though it was still decently good, great for anyone else. But she wasn't just anyone else. He had to be perfect for her or he was worth **nothing**. He threw the ball, shaking hands getting him off slightly. He knew he had lost.

Courtney was clenching her fists hard, nails digging into the skin. It wasn't that she expected him to get it, quite frankly she was amazed he'd made three, it wasn't even that she needed him to get them all, mostly it was that she wanted to believe he was good enough to get them all. "Come on…" she whispered to herself as time went by in slow motion for them both, ball spinning a million times before it met with the rim of the basket.

Zane slumped over as it bounced right back to him after hitting the rim. He was so disappointed in himself.

"Whadda ya want?" the man grumbled rather smugly.

Courtney had already chosen her price long before he'd even made the shots. "That one!" she cried, pointing to the frog on the second shelf.

The man handed it to her with a half smile, finding her to be rather pretty compared to most girls who wound up at his stand.

"Oh, Zane!" she cried. "It's so cute!" she squeezed it tightly around the neck, snuggling it as well. "I'm so happy." she sighed.

Zane frowned. "But…it's not the best."

Courtney narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you dare start pouting on me!" she snapped. "Just because you didn't get all the shots is no reason to have a cow. So don't! Or I'll have to beat you over the head with my new toy. She hugged it some more.

Zane cracked a grin. "Alright. I suppose you're right." he admitted.

"You bet I'm right!" she wagged her finger at him. "I'm **always** right." she said firmly.

He chuckled lightly at her, stopping as he noticed she was headed for the exit. "Wait!" he cried. "There's one more thing I want to do." he smiled sweetly at her.

She looked confusedly at him, but shrugged and let him take her where he pleased. Everything had been her way all day, he deserved to have some control over the evening.

It was at the center of the fair, the biggest ride aside from the rollercoaster's. It was most definitely the better of the two, so smooth and calm and…romantic. "Here." he motioned. "I want to ride this."

She frowned lightly at it, but refrained from saying anything negative. "Ok." she agreed with a shrug. "If you want."

There was absolutely no one in the line that wasn't a couple, so Zane felt a bit awkward about it. Still, she didn't really seem to notice which made it better. "It's got a great view." he explained as they were being loaded onto it.

She didn't say anything back to him as the ride slowly started, lifting them higher and higher into the air. It was absolutely breathtaking and beyond beautiful, the sunset adding to the effect. "Oh…" she breathed, smiling softly. "Zane…it's so…wonderful." she cooed, sighing contentedly.

Zane smirked, his former feeling of failure long gone. He was on top of the world in this moment as their compartment swung gently back and forth at the highest point in the ride, some other car below them being loaded. "I know." he sighed much like her. "It's kinda romantic…don't you think?" he let slip out without thinking, consumed with how beautiful the many colors of the sunset were as they framed Courtney's stunning face.

Courtney was caught off guard by the mention of this being romantic in the slightest way. She had thought he might like her a little more then other guys had in the past, but she didn't think he did that much. Then again, perhaps she was looking into it too much. Maybe this was just another one of his fun facts he liked to throw out there. She'd pretend it was, because she wasn't ready to fall in love. Not yet. "Very." she eventually said as they started moving without stopping.

Zane loved how her eyes looked so soft as she stared up into his. If only he was better with words and relationships. To bad he just wasn't ready yet. Maybe in a few months he'd be sure enough of himself to make a move. He was just afraid that by then it would be to late.

Courtney decided it would be ok I she did a little something to quench both their emotions, so she gently rested her head on his shoulder and nuzzled him gently. "This is great." she murmured. "I'm glad you got me up here."

Zane smiled down at her with unbound happiness. "Yeah…"

The Ferris Wheel went around slowly about four times before it finally ended and they were pretty much thrown off the ride and out of the park. "Maybe we can do this again sometime?" Courtney offered as they walked hand in hand from the park.

"Uh-huh." Zane said in a far off voice. He was consumed with replaying the whole day in his head to enjoy it a second time.

Courtney giggled lightly, knowing full well what he was doing. And it didn't bother her one bit. She was glad someone in this hell of a place thought so highly of her for whatever reason it was. As someone to cling onto after a loss, like a replacement for a friend, as she felt toward him, or anything else. The one possibility farthest from her mind was that he actually cared for her because she was her. And in a sense she was right not to think of it. It was only a little bit of the truth of his feelings after all.

Only this was not the happiest of occasions for all. For not far from where they walked on the pavement stood a boy full of vengeance. He'd been watching all day, hanging onto each and every one of their movements and, when he could hear, their words. And now was the final straw. Seeing him so happy and not to mention so close with **her**, his enemy, made his blood boil. On the day of their scheduled four-wheeling race no less! He could not believe this treachery! No… this would not do. As such he found a word form on his lips and slip from his tongue that was soaking in venom. "Traitor."

**Before you dxc fans have a spaz attack I did not put this story under this category because I knew it would get a lot of views. This is CourtneyxDuncan. You just have to be patient, that's all. Other then that I hope you liked it for the writing, not necessarily the coupling. Plz review! I'm not getting many... :( So plz?**


	5. The Final Push

**Here's another part. It is shorter then the last, but still a good length. I hope you enjoy! :)**

After the day at the fair, when Monday came around, things were a bit different then what they'd been before her sudden change in behavior. Duncan picked on her more to make up for leaving her alone during her stressful time and Zane talked animatedly to her about all he'd done the past weekend after their time together. She was content with this too. She sure as hell didn't like the way Duncan treated her, but how could she complain? She had half of the perfect life she wished to keep after moving and that made it better. At least it did until the Thursday of the third week of school. This was when Duncan pushed her over the edge. It was fourth period, drama class, and Duncan had decided to be an extra big ass for some reason. He'd pushed her out of her seat like he always did, wrote notes and threw them at her head, and flipped her off. It was a regular thing. Only near the end he chose to do something that broke her.

Zane was still choosing to talk to Duncan over her, which right off made the class thoroughly unenjoyable for her. They went back and forth, trying to outdo the other in the most freaky thing they'd done since the last time they'd spoken which was a couple of days ago. This in itself should've been a warning sign, Duncan was always extra vengeful the day he was chosen after a time of not being the center of attention. It was just that Courtney hadn't been thinking about it. She was trying to focus as well as forget the day before when her mother and father had had a falling out for the umpteenth time.

"Oh, yeah!" Duncan exclaimed, rubbing his hands together deviously. "Well, **I** ate a bunch of bugs yesterday for a contest. And won." he added triumphantly.

Courtney mentally threw up. "Wow!" Zane said excitedly. "But it's not half as good as what I did." he nodded with the utmost certainty.

It was at this point she started ignoring them. She was twisting her hair about with her fingers, staring interestedly toward the board as the teacher scribbled down a simple list of things needed to be a good actor. She knew it all as she should and answered every time she was asked. And she was prepared to shoot her hand into the air at lightening speed when she heard a lot of the students in the class suppressing giggling or at least trying to. It didn't help that they were all stealing glances back at her whenever they thought she wasn't looking. She blinked a couple of times, slowly forgetting that she was about to answer a question the more confused she grew. "Zane." she tugged at his sleeve.

He glanced over at her. "Hmm? I kinda need to watch this." he lied, pointing to the new addition to the list on the board. "I'm not very good at acting. Which sure begs the question of why I signed up for it, huh?" he chortled, nudging her playfully in the side.

Courtney frowned. "Sorry, but…" she paused. "Everyone's laughing. Do you think it's at me?" she was rather afraid of the answer. She wasn't sure if knowing the truth would make her feel any better or quite possibly worse about all this.

Zane chuckled, shrugging. "I'm sure it's nothing. Juniors are not as mature as you would think. I should know. I am one after all." he joked, nudging her in the side with his elbow again.

"Yeah…I just…" she trailed off, sighing. "I can see that glint in their eyes…" she mumbled under her breath. "The same as Duncan's…"

Duncan was on the opposite side of Zane, smirking evilly around his friend at the confused and quite possibly scared brunette before him. She was so stupid. She didn't ever know when something was going on around her and when she did she didn't have a clue it had to do with her. Duncan guessed it was all thanks to that preppy school Zane told him she went to before this. Yes. Zane wasn't the best person with hiding details from his friends about his other friends. There was only one secret he had managed to keep from the world. And it was easily the darkest of them all.

Courtney shifted uneasily in her spot next to Zane up until the last five minutes. At this point everyone in the class was laughing softly, hands overtop their mouths. And they were all staring backwards. She swallowed hard. Maybe…maybe they were looking at Duncan or quite possibly Zane! She prayed for this to be true, all the while knowing it was an impossibility. There was no way to deny they were looking dead on to her and her frightened face. "Zane." she said with urgency.

And then it came. A ginger girl handed the note that had been circulating about the room all period back to Duncan. He unfolded the piece of parchment ever so slowly with the utmost care despite the fact he'd started it, smirking darkly at the writing. He cleared his throat then, sneering devilishly at her around Zane.

Courtney shrank back, shivering from the fear that was creeping up on her. She was so afraid of what he was about to do now. She really didn't want to know. She just wanted to get out of here without a blemish to her physical appearance and more so without a blemish to her personal record. Since it was Duncan we are talking about she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to turn her world upside down.

He parted his lips to speak, the words coming out slowly and cruelly. "I, Courtney Manning, just want you all to know that I am a huge slut who plans on sleeping with every guy in this school by the end of the year. I've already gotten to a few, in particular Zane Andrews. So don't be surprised by the stories they tell. It's all true." he paused, this time glaring menacingly at Zane instead of Courtney. He wanted to gauge his reaction most of all. "One hundred percent."

Courtney's face fell instantaneously. There wasn't a second of hesitation for her either. The moment the words passed his lips and reached the air and everyone else's ears she lost it. Her hands went straight to her mouth and her once clear beautiful eyes welled with tears. They stung her eyes as she fought a war to hide them from the world. Bu it was no easy task, not since everyone else was dying over the words which had been uttered.

The class erupted into laughter, not the playful kind either, the kind that you know is aimed at hurting you to your very core. The sound was as cruel and detrimental as it would be for each of them individually to repeat what Duncan had effortlessly said. Their eyes didn't help in the least. While back at her old school they would have held sympathy for her and her predicament theirs did not. All that could be found in the depths of their many colored eyes was evil, cruelness, a sense of mocking, and that glimmer…that glimmer she could not place except in saying that it was identical to the look Duncan's eyes always showed when staring at her.

Her eyes shot to the clock, taking in the fact there were three minutes remaining, but not caring. She leapt up from her chair, knocking it down in the process. However, she ignored the fact, only thinking of escaping the ever growing sound of those taunting laughs and the words that some braver asses dared to say. _Slut…Whore…Easy…_ These were three she caught, much to her dismay. She didn't allow herself to hear any more. Not even Zane's concerned cry was enough for her to turn around and stop. She was to the front and out the door before anyone could stop her. The tears she'd held back poured down her face like rain, making what little make-up she had on run down her face along with it. She hated this, she hated Duncan, she hated the whole damn school, but most of all she hated herself. She couldn't believe she ever believed Zane was enough to protect her from everyone else's shit. She was so naïve and stupid! She wanted to scream. She just couldn't, her sobs and moans were choking her to much. That and she wanted no more attention drawn to her. She had enough of it.

Zane jumped up after her the second he saw her nearly fall out of her chair and run. "Courtney! Wait!" he reached out as if he could touch her shoulder if only he tried hard enough. Still, he could not. And when he realized his cry had gone completely ignored he grew ten times angrier at his so called friend. "**Duncan**!" he bellowed, fists clenched and body shaking from fury. "What the hell! Why did you do that to her!"

Duncan snorted, rolling his eyes at Zane's ignorance. "You know perfectly well why I did it." he crossed his arms over his chest. "And you could have prevented it." he smirked darkly at Zane as his angered expression transformed into that of pure disbelief right before his eyes. "Don't you feel bad?" he added lazily.

"You bastard!" he screamed inches from his face. "This had nothing to do with her! If you have a beef with me then don't be a whiny douchebag and drag her in it to hurt me!" he nearly struck out at Duncan for one of the first times since he'd known him, the only thing stopping him being his concern for Courtney and the dirt he had on Duncan. "God!" he slammed his clenched fist down on the table as a substitute for Duncan. He merely pretended that the table was Duncan's smug little face. And it worked pretty well.

Duncan narrowed his eyes into slits as the two remained in a death stare for the next short moment. He saw what Zane had wanted, and still wished, to do in the depths of his red eyes. It made Duncan's cool demeanor vanish into thin air. He couldn't believe he had seriously considered hurting him. "Get out of here." he hissed in return. "Go chase after that bitch of yours."

Zane stamped his foot and, although he was tempted to say more, ran after the poor girl rushing down the empty halls without another word to Duncan the delinquent. He ran as fast as he could make himself go times ten. He felt like he was very well flying through the halls of the school. "Courtney!" he cried, seeing her growing closer since she had ceased running and was now walking quickly. "Courtney wait!"

Courtney heard but did not think about turning back, not even for Zane. She had had it with all of the shit that Zane being Duncan's friend had caused. She couldn't handle this plus her home troubles. It was an equation that could not be solved like she was trying to do. Her pursuing this same course of action would merely elongate her suffering.

Zane sighed irritably. He knew she heard him, there was no way she didn't. He was yelling as loud as he could and that was pretty damn loud. He understood that her being as upset as she was was affecting her to the point she wanted to shun everyone, but he refused to let this go. "Courtney!" he cried out for a third time as he reached his hand out as far as he could, coming within inches of her shoulder. "Courtney." he said much softer once he finally closed his hand around her tiny shoulder.

Courtney drew in a sharp breath as she felt his warm hand on her, struggling to free herself so that she would not have to face him. She knew if she were to face him she'd say something she didn't mean and screw up one of the only relationships she'd ever had friendship or otherwise. "Let go!" she yelped, pulling her hardest.

"No." Zane refused, forcing her to look and talk to him. "Don't do this."

"Get off!" she screamed in his face, sobs racking her body, accompanied by pitiful moans working their way out of her throat. "I don't want to

"You're just hurt. I get that." he cooed. "Duncan isn't the nicest person you'll met, but-"

"HA!" Courtney wavering voice screeched, interrupting his train of thought. "Are you fucking **kidding** me! He is the biggest asshole on the face of the planet! **No**! The galaxy!"

"Courtney…" his tone was soft, holding an edge as to warn her to be careful with what she said. It wasn't like he would do anything to her if she went to far with her insults, but he knew why Duncan was how he was with next to everyone. He didn't deserve all the hate he managed to gain for himself. He only pretended to love it to fit the stereotype. At least…Zane thought so.

"Don't Courtney me!" she spat. "That-That **thing** you call a friend in there!" she pointed a shaking hand back in the direction she'd come from. "He's a **monster**! He doesn't deserve anyone! Not a friend, girlfriend, acquaintance, or anyone!" she choked a little on her words, her sobs making her anger not seem as real as it was meant to. In all honesty to anyone looking on she would look like a blubbering child who was nothing more then miserable with life. "He especially doesn't deserve you! You're so good, nice, kind…and he-he's the **devil**!"

"Stop it!" Zane snapped unintentionally, grabbing on to her wrist. "You don't know anything about him." he growled. "You have no right to judge." he sighed softly as the not so nice words passed his lips. "Just…please… don't say those things. Not to his face." he shook his head sadly.

"Why the hell shouldn't I!" she snarled. "Look what he's done to me! It's what he gets at the very least!" she was so confused as to how, after all that, Zane was still more on dumb Duncan's side then her own. It made the situation ten times worse then it already was.

"You think you're hurting right now?" Zane asked. "It's nothing compared to how badly he'd be hurt if you dared say it to him." Zane grit his teeth. "He may not show it right then and there, but you would notice. Things would change."

Courtney thought about this for a minute, breathing slowing while her sobs stayed ever the same. What was he talking about? What was worse then being called a slut in front of a class who wouldn't hesitate to spread it all around the school? Nothing. That's what she decided upon, her teeth grit, eyes narrowed into slits, and hands clenched into tight fists. "Shut up!" she snapped, pulling out of his hold on her. "Stop trying to protect his worthless ass with mindless excuses!"

"He's not worthless!" he insisted, incapable of betraying Duncan despite all the things he'd done to others and himself in the past. He just couldn't. Not when that would mean Duncan slipping right off the edge to fall back into an abyss.

"I'm **done**!" she said sharply. "Just done. I can't take this shit anymore! I don't care what's wrong with him, all I care about is what you're going to do about it! If it doesn't stop, this-this," she motioned in a circle to indicate the two of them, "is **over**!" with that she turned on her heel, not wanting to deal with anyone right now, but not really meaning her harsh words either. It was the result of her wreck of emotions. She knew this would happen. So why did she let him keep talking? More so why did she keep talking…?

"But…" he murmured, hanging his head. He wasn't sure whether to believe her or not. He picked up on the fact she had a bad temper with a short fuse the first day he met her. He knew it'd be an experience trying to handle it, but he didn't think it was this big. Boy had that been a freak. He shook his head in disbelief. "I'll leave her alone like before." a pause. "She can talk when she's ready."

As she left him to stew in this mess they'd both worked to create she had no idea what the real motive behind Duncan's cruel actions was. She was blind to the fact that he'd been watching them, just like she was oblivious to the fact Zane very well could have kept this from happening. But these were both things she didn't need to know nor would she ever. Neither Zane or Duncan planned on telling this part of the story.

_It was the day after Zane blew off the planned four-wheeling race to be with Courtney, a Saturday, and Duncan was fuming. He'd called Zane up on the phone, feigning cheer in order to lure him over to his place. Zane willingly obliged, not thinking about Duncan's attention issues. So when he got there ten minutes later he didn't have a clue what was waiting for him._

_He drove up in his fancy red Ferrari a slight smile on his lips. He saw Duncan was outside, as always, waiting for him. He merely failed to take in the most important factor. Duncan's face was dark, eyes narrowed into slits, and fists clenched. Still Zane waved as he grew closer. "What's up?" he asked casually._

_Duncan hesitated only a fraction of a second, having been planning this ever since last night, throwing a hard punch at Zane's jaw. "__**That's**__ what's up." he snarled, hardly feeling better._

"_What the hell!" Zane groaned, clutching his face tenderly, a metallic taste in his mouth. It was blood, a little bit trickling down his face from the corner of his mouth. "What'd I do now!"_

_Duncan snorted. "Like you don't know what you did!" he breathed in deeply, pointing a finger at Zane as if he were being convicted of a heinous crime. "You blew me off yesterday!"_

"_What!" Zane spit out, not following Duncan at the moment._

"_We were talking about it all week!" Duncan bellowed, cracking his knuckles as if he might go at Zane again. "We were going to go four-wheeling and it was going to be great." he laughed bitterly. "Yeah…no! Apparently not! Because instead of going with me like you __**promised**__ you dropped me like a hat to be with that girl!" he lurched forward so that their faces were mere inches apart._

"_Are you serious!" Zane growled, running a hand through his hair. "God bless!" he pulled away from Duncan, breathing deeply so that he would keep better control of himself then Duncan had. "Duncan!" he cried exasperatedly. "I did __**not**__ promise you anything! I said we might. And I decided I'd go to the-"_

"_I know where you went!" Duncan snarled. "I was watching. Every minute of every hour of that day. I saw you ride the carousel, chicken out on the enterprise, the mirror maze…__**everything**__."_

_Zane was a little creeped out by the stalker like behavior Duncan was showing. Sure he knew that Duncan was obsessive, majorly, but he didn't pin him as one to lurk in the shadows following a person for hours on end. "But…how…?" he started to ask._

_Duncan snorted, starting to pace back and forth. "You'd said you'd take me in your car when we went, so when I saw you leave I knew something was up, something with __**her**__. I followed you in my car forever until we finally came up on the stupid fair." he rolled his eyes, hating the thought of taking part in any of the idiocy. "After that it was effortless. No pain involved." he cringed. "Not physical at least."_

_Zane frowned miserably, knowing what he meant. "Duncan…look. I had to make a choice. One of you was going to lose no matter what. And this time I chose her." he paused, being sure to add hurriedly. "You have to understand that it was nothing against you! She just needed me more. Her life isn't so great right now and I wanted to help."_

_Duncan's mouth twitched. "So! I needed you too!"_

_Zane shook his head. "No. You didn't. You wanted me. If you needed me I could have sensed it or you would have told me about it like always. This is nothing more then you being jealous that you aren't the only person that matters to me." Zane didn't like lecturing Duncan, but sometimes he couldn't help it. Duncan knew he was full of crap saying that he needed him more then she did. Duncan was just really, really, stubborn._

_Duncan laughed in a sinister manner. "Fine." he said through clenched teeth. "Let's put it this way then." he stopped pacing to turn and face him, eyes glinting darkly. "If you keep on paying more attention to her then me then it won't be pretty. People will get hurt."_

_Zane's eyes widened. "No! You jerk!" he cried. "You can't do anything to her! Not because of me!" he was begging him for this to be the truth._

_Duncan rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Don't do anything then. We'll see how that works out for you." he smirked at Zane._

_Zane was more devastated then he was angry. He didn't know how he could protect Courtney from this. Really there was no way. She was screwed._

_Duncan started to turn away, stopping to add, "But if you change your mind, all you have to do is tell her it's over. That you can't see her anymore." he cocked his head slightly, his way of asking if this would work for him or not._

_Zane froze for a moment, not sure of what was right in this situation. He hated the thought of giving either of the two up, but what was he to do? Duncan was basically giving him an ultimatum, only not between him or her, between him with no hurt feelings or him and Courtney ending up shattered. "No!" Zane barked. "Never! You can't make me do it!"_

_Duncan shrugged. "Nope. But I'll eventually win." he left then, going back into his house without another word, leaving Zane alone to think about what he'd just done. What had he done…?_

Courtney was still sobbing, albeit softer, when she went into her english class. She looked over to her usual spot and scowled, seeing Zane over there on his own with a sullen look on his features. She wanted to hate him, hate him so bad that it would hurt, only she couldn't do it. She cared to much. All she could feel was an immense ache in her heart. She felt bad for saying what she had to him. It wasn't his fault his 'friend' was an ass. She half believed he could not be friends with the guy, but not completely. Years ago she'd been friends with the biggest bitch on the face of the planet, hating it so badly yet unable to break away. She'd only freed herself when the witch moved away. Courtney didn't think she'd have ever escaped otherwise.

Courtney slowly took her eyes away from Zane as she walked at a snaillike pace to the back of the room. She plopped down in the seat away from the wall, not wanting to move any more then she had to. As such she was quick to bury her head in her arms on the table. She didn't even want to produce the effort necessary to keep her head up. That and she was sure there was at least one person in the room that was in her other class. She didn't want them looking at her. So she stayed this way, crying softly into her arms, sobs choking her.

Then in came Alexia. She was a bouncy girl who was well known for being a bundle of joy who no one was able to put down. She had blonde hair which she usually kept in a ponytail so it stayed out of her face, her eyes were baby blue, she had a tattoo of a star on her left cheek, and she was unimaginably skinny. Surprisingly it was natural, she didn't have to do anything to keep herself this way. Honestly, she pigged out at every meal she had. She was smiling and waving at every person she saw as she made her way to the back of the room. She stopped as she reached Courtney. She blinked a couple of times, not used to anyone being back here. But it didn't stop her from being herself. She tapped Courtney on the shoulder gently. "Hey! Hey you!" she chirped with a chuckle. "Ya know your kinda in my spot."

Courtney raised her head up from her arms every so slightly, turning her dull eyes upon the exuberant girl, the anti-Courtney in this moment. She didn't say anything to her though. Who was she to bring this girl's spirit down along with her own? She certainly didn't need another broken heart on her hands.

Alexia giggled again, bringing a hand to her mouth. "What? Are you mute?" the one thing she was not gifted with, however, was awareness. Most things obvious to many went right over her head, not to mention she was extremely naïve.

Courtney moaned lightly. "No." she threw her head back down in its former place.

Alexia was getting the feeling that something was wrong now, but she was still laughing to herself as she slid in on the opposite side of Courtney. "C'mon then. What's the matter?"

Courtney rolled her eyes, not caring since she knew the girl would not see her. "Nothing." she hissed after she was sure her voice would not shake.

Alexia rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

Courtney felt a shiver run up her spine. She was not in love with how this girl talked…at all. She sounded like she was five, her tone always high and bouncy like she was telling one big continuous story of epicness.

"C'mon." she nudged Courtney's shoulder. "I won't tell! Promise!"

Courtney slowly raised into a full sitting position, immediately regretting it as her eyes landed on the girl's face. Dear lord. She wore a grin that stretched clear across her face, her eyes brimming with life that Courtney as well as the whole rest of the human population could only hope to have. Yet Courtney couldn't help but feel like she could trust this girl. Besides, even if she was wrong about this it wouldn't matter. By tomorrow everyone would know about what had happened mere minutes before. So why not? "Fine." Courtney grumbled, wiping at her tear stained face. "You're gonna know by tomorrow anyway."

Alexia cocked her head to the side playfully, smile never faltering despite how grim Courtney sounded as she spoke.

"There's this asshole in a few of my classes. He takes immense pleasure in torturing me for **NO** reason!" she sighed with aggravation, massaging her temples with her wet fingers. "Well, today he decided to take it even further. He read this note that I supposedly wrote out loud to the class and-and-" she broke off, sucking in a sharp breath in order to stifle the sure to come on sobbing.

Alexia still didn't frown, but her eyes showed how she understood. She scoffed, "Those bad boys. They're all the same. So awful, uncaring and full of rage that they have to unload by screwing with others." and there it remained. That high tone that made every word she said sound happy.

Courtney loathed her voice, but she couldn't help but feel that she was completely right. Just like her parents. They were all the same. Well…all of them but one. She glanced over at Zane, still slouched over and as sad as ever.

Alexia placed a hand on Courtney's shoulder for comfort. "Don't let it get ta ya." she said with a nod. "By the way!" she cried. "I'm Alexia!"

Courtney looked back to her and surprised even herself by offering a small smile. "I'm Courtney."

**The next chapter will be much less...evil. I don't know how else to put it, but this one was very mean. Plz review! :D**


	6. Mine

**Here's the next part! Enjoy! :D**

He watched her struggle that day, everyone did. But no one bothered stopping it. No one cared for the new girl at school, she was dead to all of them. The only two people who might've bothered helping, Alexia and Zane, were either not around her or in to much turmoil. So she dealt with it on her own. She kept her head lowered most of the last hour, tears on the edge of her eyes so that they could easily fall if the need arise. And of course it did. She cried at least ten times in a mere hour, a new record Duncan thought. So many people went back to her just to whisper in her ear or to scream it loud so everyone would hear and laugh along with them. It was amazing how fast news spread around school. It was like a virus, accidentally make one slip up and it was eating at you and your computer with no mercy. This was exactly how it had played out for poor Courtney. She made the little mistake of agreeing to go to the fair with Zane and it led her here. She hadn't known it was coming, she didn't ask for it, but it happened. Such was the way of life. You just had to deal with the hand life randomly handed to you. And so far it was really sucking for the broken girl.

Duncan, on the other hand, was on top of the world. If someone wasn't talking to her they were definitely talking to him. They wanted to know how he managed to get the guts up to sabotage a girl like her and more importantly why. Why did he want to ruin her life? The first few times the answer was easy, a simple truth that slid off his tongue like turpentine. He told them all the same thing, 'She was a nuisance. I didn't want her to think she was better then me or that she could get away with stealing my perfect life.' Most just laughed at his reply and went on their way while a few frowned at him, not quite believing this story he told. She was new, so how was she that much of a threat? And what exactly did she try to take? She was innocent enough. They'd seen her walk by them in the hall and give them a faint smile, but she never was rude like the vast majority of the schools inhabitants. And she was certainly better then Duncan. They figured he was just being a bully and asserting his power. It was much more believable then what he was offering. So with a shake of their heads they'd leave him to be, to do as he wished with whoever he pleased as long as that person wasn't them.

As the bell rang she didn't move. She stayed there until well after the buses and everyone had cleared out of school. She needed a place to cry in peace and she knew her home was not good enough. That place might as well have been hell on Earth at the moment with all the yelling and bitching that went on. So she remained in her seat, lights shut off, crying, until she picked her head up long enough to see the sun was setting in the sky. She swallowed hard and slammed her head back against the wall. She was just realizing how stupid it was of her to hang out her all day to feel better about herself. Now, instead of facing a small magnitude of her mother's wrath she would now be forced to endure it at full capacity.

She laughed bitterly at the situation, slowly picking her tired body up and sluggishly heading for the sure to be locked door. She reached zombie like for the knob, turning it just as slowly. She was mildly surprised to find that it wasn't locked. These teachers…she swore they must have jumped off the stupid train or something. She would make a better teacher then a third of these idiots. As she continued to bash the fools to make herself feel better she meandered down the deserted halls of her school, focusing on the tiled floor to further distract herself from her emotional turmoil. There were at least a hundred tiny specks in the square of a single tile. Whether those specks were dirt or the way they were made was beyond her. And honestly she really didn't give a damn. Although she certainly believed it to be the former. Slobs.

Walking out of the dark school the light from the sun nearly blinded her. She held up a hand to her eyes to shield them from the sudden brightness. As she did so she didn't stop walking. Unlike most people she didn't let the shift change how she was going. She had a goal and, her being her, she had to complete it according to her standards. These standards being to beat the quickly setting sun in getting home. The first sign of darkness or a star would mean she lost…failed. This too was something to be tortured over. At least if she won this game of hers she would have something to relish in for a time before her reality sunk back in on her. That would take a matter of moments. It would take until she walked over the threshold of the Manning's. No…until she saw the fire in her mother's eyes and the sadness in her father's heart.

It took her at least an hour to get home, only a glimmer of the sun was left. But she still did it. She managed to beat the odds and earn herself a constellation prize of the sorts. A very weak, unenthusiastic prize to say the least, but a prize for her broken heart none the less. She even found the tiniest of smiles creeping onto her stained face as she stood on her lawn, the luscious green grass tickling her legs. But it was, as she'd predicted earlier, a short lived thing. Looking into the living room window even from this distance made it plain to her that her mother was already stared on berating her father. The shadowy figure was throwing their arms into the arm and pointing vigorously at the other as she no doubt screamed. Anger and her mother were like those lock sick couples you saw at school everyday. You rarely ever saw one without the other. Courtney sighed sadly. Did she really want to go in there? Really? Was it worth it? Maybe she could go stay at a hotel like dad did. It would certainly save her from further heartache. But…no…she knew it was foolhardy. Her mother would worry ten times more and be ten times angrier by morning. And it wasn't like she had the money or energy to avoid her forever.

Courtney closed her eyes tightly then as she took those first few steps toward the door, not fearing falling since she already knew where any potential trip-ups were. They were right where they'd been in her old yard. She reached for the knob to their bright white door, her hand clutching tightly onto it before her eyes shot open wide. Shiver flew down her spine and she shuddered. She yanked her hand back from the knob, eyeing it uneasily. She was sure it was nothing more then a spark jumping from it to her, yet she was petrified. As bad as things were going for her she figured this was nature's way of telling her that this was the wrong move. If she opened that door and went in the house she wouldn't sorely regret it.

Still after a minute or two of struggle between right and wrong in this position she went against her better judgment and slowly pushed the door open to reveal a lovely sight that made her cringe.

Her mother had one of her potted plants in her hand, ready to chuck it in a moment's notice. "First you bail on our dinner! Now you're trying to get away from dinner too!" the blonde woman seethed with anger, eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Why don't you want to be here! Don't you love me!" she looked as if she might cry, but Courtney knew better at this point. She was only trying to work him over and get him to drop everything to do **something** with her. Probably stupid skating or another date.

Courtney's eyes darted to her cowering father, his hands raised in defense, face full of real sadness and betrayal. He quite literally feared for his life. Although to Courtney there wasn't much to lose. She didn't understand how on earth he thought dealing with this shit day in and day out was worth it. It was such s pathetic existence. Only someone who hated themselves could allow this to go on like he did!

"H-Honey…" he stuttered, not letting his arms down in case things turned for the worst. "Now-Now…be reasonable." his breathing was heavy and he was having trouble holding down his grief over his wife's demeanor. "I have to go. I have to." he said with a faint nod, not sure if being to firm about his stand would earn him brownie points or get them thrown at his head like the many things scattered about the floor.

"Shut up!" she snarled, pitching the pot with all her strength at his head.

His eyes grew wider still at her sudden move, him being quick enough to duck down before it reached him so it instead smashed into the wall. The cheap glass shattered on contact, making a ringing noise that lingered in the air long after. "B-Baby." he whined softly, trying his best to tread lightly on what even God would think was thin ice. "Don't you like what you have?" he tried to reason, motioning around them. "Like...t-the tv, the car, those pearls around your neck…" he froze, seeing the glint in her eyes that she always held when there was no return.

"No!" she bellowed, eyes searching frantically to find something else to throw at him. "I don't want this junk!" she yanked the necklace from her neck, throwing it down on the ground and smashed it senselessly with her foot. "I want **you**! I want to be able to have you to myself Goddamn it!" she stamped her foot opposite the necklace.

He shook his head. "I-I'm sorry." he slowly raised back into a standing position instead of ducking down like the coward he without a doubt was. "I'd love to be here. You know that. It's just…there are some things more important." he sighed sadly, not realizing what an awful word choice he made.

Courtney did a face palm. "Dear Lord dad…" she whispered to herself, not doing anything to stop this. She never did. She learned right off to leave the shit to those directly involved i.e. mom and dad. If she didn't her mother would end up turning her blind fury upon her and smack her or make her cry. It wasn't abuse exactly, more so her mother's way of taking and maintaining the control she desperately needed to feel like she was important. She had issues when others took that control from her. Courtney guessed this was what really caused all these fights. Her defect. Whenever her father did something she hadn't planned on she felt like he was trying to be in control. Courtney shook her head slowly. If only her mother had a brain. Then she'd see dad wanted nothing more then to support her as well as keep her happy. Being in command was the last thing on his to-do list.

Courtney's mom's eye twitched slightly. "What?" she hissed. "More important…then me?" she clenched her fists tight, digging her nails into her own skin. She laughed bitterly. "So…you're cheating on me then. Aren't you!" she barked, teeth grit and eyes ablaze.

Her father took in a sharp breath, heart being clenched by an unimaginably painful death grip. "No!" he said louder then he'd said anything thus far. "Never!" he was so close to tears.

"Liar!" she spat, going for the remote of the tv sitting on the coffee table between them. "You're cheating on me!"

Despite it all Courtney stood at the door as still as stone with her face set in a mode that revealed none of her emotions. Her eyes were hard, mouth a flat line to form a mask to hid her mixed emotions of fury and hurt. She was pissed at her mother and almost everyone else she knew including herself and hurt over her father's weak mind as well as her own. Still no matter how angry her mother was making her she couldn't let herself get dragged into this mess. She'd have to pick sides and, since it would more then likely be her dad, her mother would surely delve deeper into her fit of rage. No. She couldn't let herself do anything…not even move.

"Meredith!" he groaned. "Don't do this. I could never cheat on you." he promised, inching closer to her every word he spoke.

She jumped back up, remote in her now shaking hand above her head. "Get away from me!" she screamed, her shrill cry echoing.

The echo sent a chill up both father and daughter's back, their hard standing on end. The only difference being that Courtney remained unmoving, her father on the other hand jumped a mile backwards. "Come on. Can't we just talk about this." a pause. "Here." he held his hand out. "We can go in the kitchen and just…talk."

Her mother glared over at him, sneering at his feeble offer. Sure she wanted to be able to eat dinner with him in peace, that's what started this, but there was more to it. She wanted to be able to do anything with him, not just this. She couldn't live knowing at any moment he could be pulled away from her by a call from his dreaded work. In the end her fear was to much for her. Being guaranteed a meal wasn't enough control for her to agree to it. So instead, she ended it. "Eat yourself!" she pitched the remote through the air, narrowly missing his head. "I don't want to be apart of your **lies**!" she stamped her foot again, turning about to head up the stairs, when she saw her.

Her mother hadn't seen her all the while, but it was obvious she had been there listening to every awful word. She could see the fear and heartbreak hiding in the depths of her daughter's eyes. And it wasn't just that. Courtney's whole face was one big train wreck of poorly hidden emotions. Her mother cringed then, seeing herself in this poor confused little girl. At one point she had been the one staring blankly on, trying her hardest to both understand it all and pretend it didn't affect her. Only, much like her mother had done, she now found herself indifferent to her daughter. No matter how much she identified with her she didn't now how to handle it. So instead of being a good mother as she once swore she'd be she decided to send an icy glare at Courtney, snarl forming on her lips, as she spit out insults. "So! Finally decided to show up did you?"

Courtney didn't answer. She only lifted her gaze to met her mother's fiery eyes, a small frown showing.

"What the hell do you think you were doing! Were you **trying** to make me and your father worry half to death!" she thrust her hand to her own chest to indicate herself while pointing with her other toward her dad. "Well it worked!" she screeched. "Look what you've done **now**!"

Courtney slowly shifted her gaze back to her father as her mother surely wanted her to. He was now sitting on the coffee with his head buried in his hands, body shaking slightly as he silently cried. Courtney's face fell then. She couldn't pretend that seeing her father in shambles didn't hurt. Maybe if it was her mom it would be different, but…it wasn't. Yet she remained silent all the same as she returned her eyes to her mother.

Her mother smirked darkly with a hint of sadness at the corners of her lips and the far reaches of her hazel eyes. "Your father's upset because of what I said and I only said it because of **you**." she growled through clenched teeth. "It's. All. Your. Fault." each word was its own sentence in this case, every one of them aimed for Courtney's heart.

Courtney cowered ever so slightly, wanting to but completely unable to cry.

"If not for **you** he would never cry." she kept at it, pausing briefly to contemplate her next action.

Courtney scowled up at her then, seeing a glint in her eyes that only meant one thing. She figured she might as well go down with some resistance no matter how feeble.

Courtney's mom narrowed her eyes further, glowering down at her daughter before she lashed out, slapping her clear across the face. "Don't ever do this again!" she ordered, getting that feel of control she needed so badly back.

Courtney barely wanted to say anything to her at this point. What was there to be said? She fought with dad. Yeah. She shouldn't have. Uh-huh. None of this was her own fault, but her mother's. Everyone knew it. So why should Courtney open her big fat mouth and have to get hit again? She shouldn't. So she didn't.

Her mother was satisfied by this and with a final snort tuned away from her daughter and strode up the stairs to her bedroom. She would sleep there alone tonight.

Her father slowly stood up once he was sure his wife would not see or hear. He sighed lightly, moving over toward Courtney. "She…didn't mean it." the same excuse as always.

Courtney sluggishly brought her hand to touch the red handprint her mother had marked her with. It stung slightly upon contact, making her cringe unnoticeably.

Her father sighed once more. "She loves you." he murmured, shaking his head all the while, unintentionally contradicting his words. "She loves us both." he said another time as if saying it enough would somehow make it sound more real then it felt.

Courtney peered up at her father, miserable for so many reasons that she wished she could spill to him. Only she refused. She didn't want to put him through any more undue heartache. He had enough already. So very much…

Her father forced a halfassed smile to try and appear alright. "G'night…" he mumbled, turning back to the couch and settling down on it to think.

Courtney eventually made her way up to her room, but she didn't move for a time. She was so over her head with this so called life. She wished more then anything that she could rewind the hands of time back to when everything was so much simpler. No fights, no betrayal, no jackasses, no shit. If only. And this was her one and only thought as she cried herself to sleep that night, hoping to die.

She tentatively entered the building of doom and despair the day after her world came crashing down on her. The only good thing she could say was that it was Friday. Other then that her day was as good as ruined the moment she entered the place. And she couldn't have been more right. Only a few steps toward her class and already there were catcalls.

First it was a boy in a group of football players. He whistled at her, "Hey cutie! Can I have some of that?" his friends cackled along with him, not caring how bad they hurt her in the process.

Courtney lowered her head so it would be harder for people to recognize her, a dark blush creeping up onto her cheeks. She was so embarrassed. She wanted to imagine that all the things being said were not. It turned out not to be such a great plan.

One boy walking in the opposite direction of her squeezed her butt as he went by, smirking with ferocity as he licked his lips and wiggled his brows suggestively.

She would have slapped his right across his smug face if not for what happened last night. The instant the thought of the action flickered in her distraught mind she froze, tightly clenched fists losing the hate that made them stay in a ball. She refused to be her mother. It was worse then being publicly humiliated could ever be. At least this way she was able to say she was still a good person. It's all she wanted after all.

Duncan was leaning up against a locker outside of their Spanish class, wearing his usual getup of skull shirt and verging on green pants, his arms folded across his chest, and eyes open just enough to watch as the worker ants, as he called them, scurried about before him. And he was thoroughly bored with it all. So far nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. No one had tripped, dropped their things, got into a fight, or went out of alignment in the least. He sighed bitterly, blowing at his forehead as something began to tickle it. Life could not get any more unenjoyable. He was right too. In fact, things got much better soon after. He perked as he heard collective laughter coming from not to far away. His eyes grew a mite bit wider as his eyes landed on the person responsible for the shift in monotony

"Hey girly." a boy called after her, laughing even before he could say all he wanted. "Am I on your list?" he teased cruelly. "Just one kiss then?" he cried, walking after her with a smug smirk on his face.

Courtney whined lightly, tears welling her eyes for the millionth time. She needed to get to class, that was all. She didn't believe that the way they talked to her would change then, but she did think that in there they could not touch her. She was so tired of being poked and prodded by every boy that came her way. At least twenty had done so already. She couldn't imagine how many more would do the same before this awful day ended.

Duncan frowned lightly at the scene. Why did he have a tiny feeling in the pit of his stomach while watching this? He didn't care about this girl, he didn't care that this boy was going after like a starving dog lusts after blood, he didn't care period. Yet…the feeling wouldn't die. It was small, sure, but it didn't change the fact that it was annoying as hell. It reminded him of the way hunger starts, first a nudge but soon to grow into a gnawing ache. Only it wasn't the same. He knew how to fix the hunger, but he didn't even know what exactly this was.

The boy had her pinned to a locker now, purring inches from her face. He was drunk though, if that can really be used as an excuse. So he wasn't really thinking clearly, otherwise he would have noticed that Courtney was inches from nailing him in the balls.

Duncan, however, fully saw her hate beneath her mask of self loathing and sadness. He grinned despite himself, deeming this as what would get him through the day. He would certainly be laughing about it later with some of his not so tight friends since he knew Zane was still stuck in his bitterness and he was head over heels for the girl. Courtney was it? It was a feisty sounding name. To bad she wasn't half as feisty as she'd been when he first met her. Duncan snickered as Zane's face flashed before his eyes. Zane would be killing him for watching this and doing nothing to help. But she didn't need the help. He could tell.

Courtney was shaking from disgust and fear. "L-Leave me alone." she stuttered, foot craned back at the best angle she could get it to be in her current situation.

"Nah." he slurred.

Courtney kicked him then, sighing sadly as she did so. There was no sick satisfaction from hurting him as there'd been when she'd done the same to Duncan weeks before. In fact, it hurt her greatly. Not because of the reasons normal people would feel like dirt, but, once more, because of her mother. Her aggressive nature stemmed from her, it always had. She never hated it, she loved it actually, until the fights started. She tried her best from then on to have a reign on it all. Still she did not simply stand there and wait for him to get back up, she swiftly steeped over his sunken figure, glancing uneasily back before burying her head in her hands and walking into Spanish class.

Duncan's grin slipped from his face as he saw her catch her throat and the once not so noticeable tears start to trickle down her perfect stained face. She looked so sad and tortured. Could something little like her reputation really mean so much to her? If so, why? Duncan was known and respected for his bad reputation, so it was hard for him to comprehend. He rubbed the back of his head, looking away from her only to check the time. A minute till. He knew he had to go now.

Courtney took her new seat, as it was in all her classes, the back seat. She wanted to be far out of eyesight and preferably invisible. Oh how she wished to have super powers as she buried her head in her arms on her desk.

Duncan entered the room a second before the bell rang. Usually he wasn't the last person, but he had been distracted by Courtney. So he was mildly perturbed to find his seat was taken by some guy with his girlfriend next to him. Duncan rolled his eyes, catching the icy glare of the guy after. He glared right back for as long as he had to until the punk turned his attention back on his girl and started flirting endlessly with her. It made Duncan want to hurl. Sure he loved a good girl now and then, but to be so public about it was just…ew. Duncan shook his head in disbelief to match his new expression which included him sticking his tongue out slightly with an attempted eyes rolled in back of head look. After making sure the guy had at least glimpsed this he smirked and went all the way to the back, the only place left, two seats away from Courtney.

Courtney heard the sound of a chair being pulled out and she pressed her face further into her arms as if this would ensure she was left to herself.

Duncan found himself frowning for whatever reason he could not yet explain as he looked at Courtney's shaking body and listened to her soft sobs. She appeared so fragile as she was. Duncan was sure all anyone had to do was tap her and she would instantly shatter into a million pieces like glass thrown into the wall. He had never had to be so close to his unfortunate victims before or they would soon switch classes to make it so. So he wasn't used to seeing the effects of his actions. Sure he knew they cried, tried to get their boyfriend to beat him up, lost hope, and so on, he just didn't have to face these effects as he was now. Seeing a person cry actually made him cringe a smidgen. He didn't understand why…

Courtney soon realized that the person next to her either was not a guy or was deaf, so she snuck a peek at them. She was mortified to see it was Duncan, the root of all this anguish. Well…not all of it was his fault. He just managed to make it ten times worse was all. So she didn't speak to him or look again through the class. She knew doing either would led her further down in this hole that had been dug for her. Not that any of this prevented the hushed shouts she continued to get through the period. In a way, she almost believed it was making it worse. Every time she shuddered at their words she was sure they were getting a bigger kick out of it then they would if she had been facing them.

Just as Courtney shuddered from their words each and every time Duncan found himself doing the same, only to a smaller degree and for the opposite reason. He even kept track of his strange feeling. 8:25: He was slightly peeved at the words being spewed, but he was still able to get a little kick out of it. 8:35: He no longer found it funny. He half wished they'd give it a rest, but he didn't say anything. He wasn't stupid. He started this, so there was no way he could end it. 8:45: He was extremely annoyed at this point. It wasn't that he didn't want her to be hurt, more so that it was the others voices were distracting him from what was going on with the teacher. He actually did want to learn **something**. 8:55: He was sick and tired of it. He had to grit his teeth to kept himself from snapping at every last one of them. What was wrong with him? 9:00: Strange as it sounded he found himself actually hating it because of Courtney now. She looked so sad as she lifted her tear stained face up to look at the clock and the face of the guy turned around mocking her. 9:08: This was the when he finally realized what was going on. That little feeling within him had grown over the span of the hour to the point it was unbearable. And he figured out what the feeling was. It was guilt.

A minute till. Courtney groaned as she knew she would once more have to venture through the halls of the school through all those boys. Still, she preferred to have this done and over with as soon as possible so she stood up, clutching her books close, before sliding past Duncan and starting toward the door.

Unfortunately one boy had not gotten his fill it seemed and he was quick to block her way. "Hey baby." he purred, smirking deviously at the scared girl. "Where ya goin'?"

Courtney didn't respond, letting her gaze fall to the floor. She didn't want to hurt someone again.

Duncan glowered over at the pair. It was that boy who had taken his seat. He didn't like him to begin with, so now this only served as an extra push in that direction. He even found himself raising to a standing position, but he held back on doing more.

The boy proceeded to, unlike most, beat her down with harsh words. The initial flirting was now nonexistent. All the boy wanted to do was torture her by putting her down endlessly.

Courtney started to back up until she was flat against the wall, breathing more irregular then usual and tears more prominent.

"Stop crying!" he barked, taking a firm grip on her wrists.

Duncan was taken aback by his aggressive nature, eyes widening as the boy strengthened his already tight grip on her wrists. He looked like he was really hurting her to by the strained expression Courtney put off, eyes shut tight and teeth grit. It was this in itself that pushed Duncan to do more then stand idly by. He wasn't the nicest guy himself, he openly admitted it, but one thing he never did was hurt a girl for his own pleasure. He was taught better then this. So watching like this made his blood literally boil and made him have an extreme desire to beat the boy senseless. His eyes narrowed in thin slits, frown deepening into a dark snarl, and hands curled into tight balls. He was even shaking with fury. "Hands off!" Duncan screamed loud enough for all to have heard. And many people jumped at his voice, turning their heads. But it didn't stop him. He punched the guy clear across the face, the shock getting him to let go of Courtney and stumble back a bit.

The boy rubbed his head as his world spun some, but that was about all he had the chance to do before Duncan was on him again.

Duncan went at him, gripping him by the collar of his plain black shirt and lifted him up off the ground inches from his own face. He was even close enough to feel Duncan's breath on his skin. "Don't you dare touch her! She's **MINE**! **Nobody** screws with her in any way at all, but **me**!" he shook the boy violently. "Got it?" he snarled, eyes full of fire. "So don't even think about getting within a foot of her or I'll do worse then this!"

Courtney looked on with wide eyes, tears clouding her emerald eyes. She was petrified beyond belief. Her heart pounded in her chest as she drew her elbows inward and brought her clenched hands up in front of her mouth instinctively. When in danger move as little as possible and draw into yourself. That was the golden rule.

The boy was at a loss for words, turquoise eyes wide and mouth agape ever so slightly. He had known Duncan for as long as he could remember, yet he'd never seen him act out in the favor of one of his victim's. He let things play out as they were meant to. So…what the hell was wrong with him? Why was he about ready to bite his head off? Was it really because he touched her? The boy nodded then, swallowing hard. He just wanted to get out of this with nothing more then a single bruise.

"Good." Duncan snorted with disgust, dropping him back to the ground. "Well?" he spat. "Get!"

The boy scurried off, the bell being his signal. He didn't want to risk hanging around this lunatic any more. God knows what he'd do next.

A lot of the people remained, staring, even after the bell rang. None believed the scene that had just played before their eyes. Duncan didn't let the unwanted attention bother him though. He wiped his hands together in accomplishment, sending an icy glare at the whole lot of them to silently say 'Fuck off.'

Out of all of them though Courtney was easily the most shocked and confused. She didn't see what Duncan had to gain from stopping the boy from hurting her. Maybe if he wasn't such an ass she would have thought he was just doing what any other human being would do, but that wasn't the case. So then…why? Perhaps he had morals that prevented him from watching physical pain be placed on a person. Maybe? She mentally shook her head. No. It had to be something more. Could it be he was honestly…helping? Protecting her just because he could?

Duncan looked blankly over at Courtney as she remained stiff against the wall. She was obviously stunned. She hadn't moved a muscle through all this. Whether her shock came from his own aggressive actions toward the boy or the boy himself he wasn't really sure. But he was pretty sure which was the safest bet. She was petrified of his anger and shocked that it was used in protecting her. Honestly he didn't know why he was set off to such a degree, the physical abuse wasn't so bad. It was something about her. Something that made him want to protect her from everyone else despite how much he detested her and wished to hurt her himself. What was it? He half smiled at her as he thought it all through his head, finding it odd that he half meant it before he turned away and headed into the flooded halls.

Watching him go Courtney couldn't help but be in awe. He was so powerful. He dominated over all else in this kingdom called school. With a single act he easily influenced all else. She only hoped that this act would work in her favor unlike most. She prayed even that when she walked out into the hall all that others would do was stare. No words…no hurt…no pain. She wished.

**This chapter is my favorite so far. I think it's cute how Duncan hates her, but still won't let anyone else mess with her. :3 He's so odd. lol XD Please review! :)**


	7. Asserting Dominance

**It's been a while. I used to update this like every other day, lol, but I have other stuff to focus on. And I did warn you uploads wouldn't be frequent or consistent. Well, enough of that. Go on and read. Enjoy!**

Courtney walked out of the room a bit happier then she'd been before. In fact she found herself sporting the tiniest of smiles. Even so, she knew it wouldn't last very long. Sure he'd protected her, yes everyone in the class had seen, maybe they would tell everyone of the bad boy punk gone 'soft', but no, it wouldn't make a difference. One incident with someone as bipolar as Duncan wouldn't be enough to do didly squat for her. She sighed softly, hanging her head as she walked briskly down the right side of the hall.

Just as she'd predicted a group of boys were quick to swarm her. Picking at her with mean words and touching her inappropriately. She shied away from them as best she could, but there were to many of them and they easily surrounded her and kept her from moving much of anywhere.

She didn't cry this time, but she didn't fight back like she should have. She was still stuck on being different from her mother. Although she did try her best to push her way through them despite the odds. "Get out of the way." she grumbled miserably. "I need to get to class!"

The tallest one pushed her back easily, laughing along with the rest as she hit the wall and cringed.

Courtney glared coldly at them, eyes narrowed and mouth a flat line. She was about to bark something to them too, only she stopped mid-action. Instead something else found it's way to her lips and slipped from her tongue like turpentine. "Duncan!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, not understanding what had possessed her in that moment. She even lost her hateful expression, blinking with confusion as she stared blankly. She was feeling extremely stupid in the aftermath of her sudden spill. There was no way he would bother coming back here if he even heard her. A minute ago was nothing more then a fluke.

The boys believed this as well as they instantly broke into mocking laughter. "Are you stupid?" one of the smaller ones said, grabbing her arm.

"He doesn't care about you!" another cried, shaking his head in disbelief as he continued to cackle at her and how naïve she was.

Courtney frowned deeply, lowering her gaze. She fully believed them no matter how much she wished they were wrong. "No." she grumbled, scowling.

The leader snorted. "Sorry? What was that?" he leaned in closer as if it would help.

She growled softly, trying her best to keep her face as far from him as possible. Not that this would work for very long. "You're…right…" she muttered.

"Exactly." he hissed, caressing her cheek gently.

She shivered, shutting her eyes tight. "Don't touch me!" she snapped, tears working their way into her emerald eyes once more. She didn't know where they were coming from this time though. She wasn't sad or upset really, mostly pissed. Perhaps it was the fear. Maybe. As she continued to fight her emotions back as well as the boys advances she heard a cough like noise and slowly opened her eyes. She took in a sharp breath, eyes widening quickly and a disbelieving smile forming on her lips. He'd come.

He had his arms crossed firmly over his chest, a cold glower plastered on his face as he stared them down. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." he hissed.

They all jumped, the ones with their backs to him turning about to look him in the eye. "Excuse me?" the ring leader spat, daring Duncan to challenge him. He didn't care how much power Duncan managed to have over the students or how strong he was, he didn't like being told what to do.

"You heard me." Duncan growled, raising his brows and smirking conceitedly.

"Make us." he returned with the same tone.

Duncan snorted, rolling his eyes. "Fine." he lashed out in the blink of an eye, taking one of the guys by their throats and squeezing hard. He even started to lift him off the ground so as to gather more attention for himself.

All the boys and even the passerby's stared at Duncan with wide eyes full of fear. The leader didn't show it as plainly, but anyone looking at him could see he was scared. It didn't help that the boy he had a hold of was the guy's brother. He wanted so much to say something, but his pride was getting in the way. He was frozen as his brother struggled to breathe, pulling at Duncan's strong hand fruitlessly.

In the end it was Courtney who ended this pointless battle. "Duncan!" she screamed with panic.

Duncan looked lazily over to her for an instant to take in her expression before looking back to his victim, waiting for her next words as he continued to squeeze harder and harder.

"Stop!" she snapped, running forward and pulling at his arm much like the boy had tried and failed to do. "You're gonna kill him!"

Duncan jerked his fiery gaze over to her, looking sternly down at her and her frightened face. She wasn't quite as beside herself as she'd been before as the insults flew through the air like the wind, but she was still highly frantic. He didn't understand her. Why would she even think of defending these punks when they so willingly tortured her? What in the world was wrong with the way her mind worked? He didn't know if there was something more to her lack of logic, all he knew was that it was stupid.

"Duncan!" she repeated, her even breath wavering as her lip quivered and eyes did much the same. She was so afraid. She didn't know what went through his head or how he reasoned all this out, but he needed to stop. No matter what a person did they did not deserve death. She only hoped she would be able to convince the green haired boy to listen to her. Although she seriously doubted herself. "I said to fucking let go!" she spat, hitting his arm as hard as she could.

Duncan was mildly surprised by her resort to violence, but it wasn't this that made him finally release the boy who he held the life of. It was more so the way the tears laced her eyes and that strange fire danced in her emerald eyes. So with a roll of his eyes he loosened his grip, allowing the boy to drop down to the floor and gasp desperately for the air he had been deprived of for far to long.

Now that his brother was free the leader was free to grow as angry as he pleased and react accordingly. "Bastard!" he shrieked inches from his face. "I otta kill you!" his whole body shook as he went on, fists clenched tight and his teeth grit.

Duncan didn't flinch as this guy, who looked much stronger then him, had a cow and a half over his brother. Duncan merely looked at him as if this whole situation was boring him to tears.

Courtney brought a hand to her mouth, which was agape, sucking in a sharp breath. She'd seen her mother display these signs of hate many times in the past and nine out of ten times it ended with her throwing things or hitting someone. "Duncan!" Courtney cried as if he would know what she knew just by the uttering of his name.

Just as she spoke the boy threw a punch right at Duncan's face. Amazingly enough Duncan was lightening fast in blocking it. He caught his fist in his hand, smirking darkly at the stupefied boy before him. He then started to slowly twist his arm around in an unnatural way, the boy moaning from the increasing pain level it caused.

Courtney stared on in amazement. She could scarcely believe how fast Duncan had reacted to a strike that had started so close to him. She didn't think such speed was humanly possible. It was as if he practiced every day to be so incredibly good at it or was psychic. It was her intense investment in figuring out how he did what he did that kept her from saying anything to Duncan about what he was doing. Besides, the guy he tortured now was almost as much of an ass as Duncan so she might not have said anything anyway.

"Let go!" the boy yelped, finally crying uncle. He wanted nothing more then to keep his arm from breaking. He needed it to be alright if he was going to keep on playing football.

Duncan snorted, doing as he wanted for once. "Pathetic." he scoffed as he watched every one of them scramble away in a different direction. Only after they were clear out of sight did he look back to Courtney, smug expression going blank. "What?" he snapped.

Courtney shook her head swiftly in the negative, finding herself unable to speak all of a sudden. His stern face and his display of how easily he could hurt anyone he chose was what she attributed this to when she really thought about it.

Duncan rolled his eyes, glaring icily to the crowd that had formed around them. "What!" he spat with absolutely no feeling. "What's so damn interesting!" he lifted his fists in the air threateningly. The kids moved in unison back a foot or so. Duncan was not pleased with this. "Do you want me to knock each and every one of you out? Huh?" he stepped forward to make up for the length they'd gone back.

Not a one of them could believe or understand what was wrong with Duncan, but they didn't care enough to stick around and find out. They scattered much like the group of boys had, the bell moments away from ringing.

Duncan rolled his eyes, stepping back towards the brunette girl. He looked her over, taking in her confused expression, but not caring much as he grabbed onto her wrist. "Come on." he growled.

Courtney made a little noise of surprise as she was dragged along the now empty halls, the bell ringing around them. "Um…" she started, trailing off as she found nothing to say about this. All she could do was stare at the back of his head covered by jet black hair.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was headed, but he went by the direction he saw her go whenever she left Spanish, which was up the stairs. That combined with the fact of the wing they were in at the top made him figure she was without a doubt having social studies right about now. All he was forced to ask about was which one it was. "Which one?" he grumbled gruffly, turning to the side so he might see her.

She jumped slightly at the sudden sound of his voice. "I-I'm sorry…what?" she muttered tentatively.

"The room." he sighed irritably. "Which. one. is. yours." he said through clenched teeth, each word sounding as if it were it's own sentence as he spit them out.

"Oh, no." she spluttered sheepishly. "You really don't have to take me all the way there. I know where I'm going, and I'm sure no one will be out here since the bell already-" she stopped abruptly, catching Duncan's expression that said 'Are you fucking kidding me?' She dropped her gaze to the floor, sighing softly.

Duncan bit down hard on the words that were inches from spilling from his vulgar mouth. He had to control it. No matter that he couldn't stand her, this was one of those times where he had to put what was right before what he felt. The only scary thing about this was that the two nearly collided in his jumbled up mind. The only thing keeping them separate was the fact Duncan refused to let himself believe he no longer loathed her as he said he did. There was hate, definitely, it was just the hint of another emotion tacked on with it that made him cringe. "No." he growled. "I'm not letting you go alone." he paused, wondering how she'd interpret his words. "It'll be like the deer heading into the lions den. And it won't be pretty." his face was set hard, nothing but seriousness present in his teal orbs.

Courtney flinched as a picture was painted for her. She imagined herself walk into her class, the teacher staring her down for being late, all the students appearing as vicious lions, their paws placed anxiously on the desks as they leaned forward drooling over her. She went forward anyway and the whole group pounced at her, taking her down and attacking her. As it played through her mind she was oblivious to Duncan's voice as well as to her shaking body.

"Hello!" Duncan snapped, annoyed that she was ignoring him.

Courtney jumped, snapping her head to attention. "Yes!" she cried. "I can't do it." she shook her head furiously back and forth, bringing a hand to her mouth to bite nervously at her nails.

Duncan rolled his eyes at her pathetic demeanor, but remained silent all the while. He dragged her along blindly until she said he'd gone to far, at which point he let out an irritated sigh and begrudgingly asked her where exactly they were going. "I'm not psychic." he growled, scowling darkly down into her emerald eyes.

Courtney pointed over to the door on their left, a slight blush working it'd way to the surface of her face.

He held in more hurtful words he planned to say, deciding that it was better to use these phrases once in the room, directed toward all the snot nosed brats watching the two closely. The idea made him smirk darkly as he reached out for the handle, slowly turning it before pushing. As expected all eyes in the room darted toward them, the sudden shift in otherwise constant scenery being a lure for the kids unentertained minds. This random event of entering late was further made intriguing by the mere fact of it being Duncan the delinquent and the new school slut. All had to wonder what was going on and whether he had officially claimed her as his own.

As they stood there before the class her heart beat faster. Duncan had been right. She would have died of fright if she had walked through this door alone. Even as it was she was finding herself rather lightheaded, moving closer to the boy beside her as she nearly lost her balance and fell. All that keep her on her feet was her quickness to latch on to Duncan's shoulders.

Duncan's eyes narrowed as he shot her a deadly glare. He already knew what all these lifeless punks were thinking and he sure as hell didn't need anything solidifying their convoluted beliefs. So it was instinctive for him to send a warning out to her in the best way he knew how. "What's wrong with you?" he hissed in her ear. "Do you want to be screwed with. Cause believe you me that would be a hell of a lot easier for me to do then baby-sit you."

She lightly shook her head in the negative. "N-No…just…dizzy." she muttered in return, swallowing hard.

He shrugged, gripping her hand tighter. "Come on." he grumbled, leading her across the room in large strides that she was only keeping up with due to the fact they were basically conjoined. And despite the intense stares they were being given all was strangely quiet, none daring to move. Only when they were a couple of seats from the back was Duncan forced to use force. Some guy he'd never seen before in his life reached his leg out across the aisle to purposefully trip him and Courtney up, so Duncan did what he had to. He came to an instantaneous halt, Courtney slamming into him, as he sent an icy glare at him before he lifted his foot and slammed it down hard on the boys leg.

The boy yelped painfully, yanking his leg back in to its proper space and up close to him so he could gently rub the afflicted area. And, much to Duncan's disbelief, he didn't utter a word. He merely returned the sentiment of hate with his coal colored orbs.

Courtney frowned lightly at Duncan's resort to violence over something so trivial but she was sure not to voice her opinion. All she cared about was that now, with things as they were, she had Duncan on her side. Anything that might jeopardize this was not worth saying in the least. She wasn't stupid. But as she allowed Duncan to seat her she couldn't help but wonder, why the sudden change?

"Ah, Ms. Manning." The social studies teacher said with a hint of amusement. "So you decided to show up after all?"

It was a rhetorical question, everyone knew by her tone, but for some reason Courtney felt compelled to answer. "Y-Yes…" she lowered her head, laughter filling the silence that followed.

Duncan growled lightly under his breath from his spot behind Courtney. He was an inch from spitting out all his usually dormant feelings just for the sake of making himself better. If it happened to aid Courtney then so be it. If not, then that was just to bad.

"You realize that you are late then?" the teacher pressed, finding satisfaction in seeing the girl squirm.

Courtney swallowed hard, clasping her hands in her lap as they started shaking without her consent. "Y-Yes…" she said again, gaze glued to the floor where her feet lay.

One particularly snobbish girl next to them found it fit to cry out then, laughing out loud, "You're pathetic! Why not just bow down and kiss the ground she walks on?"

Courtney was about to say something in her defense when Duncan's voice cut her off. "Oh shut up Brittany!" he snapped. "Why not do us all a favor and go back to sucking Daryl's face off so we don't have to hear your big fat mouth? K?" he sneered, bright white teeth gleaming as he smirked.

Brittany stared dumbfounded at Duncan, blinking a couple of times to see if this was an illusion before she shook her head violently from side to side and snorted conceitedly at him. "Whatever loser." she paused, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

"Yeah, yeah." he grumbled, ignoring the quizzical looks he was getting from everyone, even Courtney herself every now and then. "Drama queen."

Another boy who sat behind the girl, her brother, spoke up. "What the hell is wrong with you! You're being a total prick!"

Duncan looked at him, ready to unless his contained hate. "Nothing, stupid." he snorted. "Your sister over here is the one being a prick." he nodded in her direction, receiving a heated look from her. "And she doesn't want to listen to me, so why not tell her that yourself. Or are you to bent on believing this selfish cow actually has a heart that you can't bear to do it?"

The boy's mouth was agape. "Shut up!" he yelled. "That's not true! She's one of the nicest people I know!"

Duncan snickered. "Well, damn do I feel sorry for you then. Cause if I was stuck with this bitch I'd have shot myself by now."

Courtney merely peered at them from the corner of her eye, having no desire to interfere, knowing from the teacher's angry expression that anyone involved was about to get beaten. And she was right.

"That's enough!" the teacher snapped, her straight blonde hair prickling to match her mood.

Both Duncan and the boy silenced then, never taking their eyes off the other all the while, not until the bell rang.

And with that not another word was said. Any time someone even thought of opening their mouth Duncan was quick to flip them off or mouth a threat that was easily enough to keep them docile. As such her second period class passed faster then she ever imagined possible with the circumstances encompassing her. So she was naturally beyond pleased. She even found herself smiling. And the best part, although she'd vehemently deny it if asked, was that Duncan, the initial cause of it all, was the reason behind her glimmer of happiness. She was rather amused by the fact that someone who had been so cruel to her no more then a day before was now fighting to keep all others from messing with her. Granted it confused her to no end, causing her mind to race around in circles looking for a plausible reason behind his change, but ultimately the reason mattered little. All that mattered was that he was undeniably on her side as of this moment. Perhaps he'd change by tomorrow, leaving her to deal with the few bastards left alone, she could never be sure. But she worried little over it. What happened happened. It was life.

"Hey." He muttered, breaking her thoughts.

She perked. "What?" it was one of the only words she spoke to him thus far that weren't full of malice or heartbreak, but she barely noticed.

"What's next?" He grumbled.

Her eyes widened marginally, "I'm sorry…?" she breathed, only slightly confused as to what he meant. More so she was merely pretending she did not realize his intentions.

"Don't be stupid." He sighed irritably, rolling his eyes.

Courtney frowned lightly, scowling up at his hard set face. "You're one to talk." She retorted with an air of superiority.

He snorted. "Whatever." He took a hold of her smooth skinned hand once more, not minding the implications the action held for all others who saw.

Courtney flushed a deep shade of red. "What are you doing?" she yelped, yanking her hand back away from him, looking about herself furtively to be sure that no one had seen. She preferred that more rumors not be spread about her and how slutty she was.

He looked lazily over at her red face, inwardly laughing at her embarrassment. "Trying not to have you late. Again." He added the last word as its own sentence.

She stared blankly at him, rubbing her hand which he had touched with her other untainted one. "Oh!" she cried after a time. "Oh, no." she started waving her hands about. "You don't have to do that. I'll be fine this time. I swear." She insured, smiling a big, wide, fake smile.

He frowned, brow raised to further display his disbelief in her. "Uh-huh." He muttered. "Why don't I believe you?" He grumbled.

"Ah!" she moaned. "Why not?" she said with exasperation.

"I'm not stupid." He informed her.

Her fists clenched, body shaking ever so slightly from irritation. "Whatever!" she barked. "Just don't touch me. Got it!" she spat, eyeing him with a look of death.

He contemplated the pros and cons of doing as she said, figuring that no matter how much enjoyment he'd get from pissing her off it wouldn't be enough to surpass the pain he was sure to receive as payment. "Fine." He grumbled with a small shrug, waiting for her to start walking before following slowly after her.

She was fuming now, licking her lips as she fought to keep herself from saying another word to the delinquent. Besides, she knew that in a battle of wits he was sure to win despite her practice in the sport. It was just something he was sadly gifted at.

Not a word was uttered between them or anyone else toward them all the way to her third period class. Science. She froze then, her hand on the knob.

Duncan sighed softly, crossing his arms over his chest impatiently. "What?"

Courtney wanted to say what was weighing heavy on her chest, but no matter how hard she tried her mouth refused to cooperate with her. She just remembered, Zane had this class. She swallowed hard. She hadn't seen him since yesterday and honestly didn't know how he was feeling towards her at the moment. She'd said some pretty bad things to him and despite his sweet nature she didn't think he was one to let things go like that. That and Duncan was here. God knows that they couldn't be on good terms after all that. And for Zane to see her with him would more then likely give him a feeling of utmost betrayal. "I…" she trailed off.

Duncan shook his head from side to side. "Yeah?" he pressed boredly.

She remained silent, looking back at him warily while simultaneously trying to see into the classroom and spot Zane.

Duncan looked at the clock on the wall, seeing they had only a minute or two left. "Get out of the way." he growled. "Let me do it."

Courtney jumped as he reached around her for the doorknob. "No!" she cried, spinning around and stretching her arms out in front of the door. Duncan stared confusedly at her. She laughed nervously. "I-I mean…why don't you go to your own class. I'm sure it's way better then mine."

Duncan snorted. "Not a chance." he paused, prying her hand off the handle. "Now move."

"Duncan!" she yelped, helplessly falling back behind him as he pushed her out of the way and the door open. She was so scared of what he would do upon seeing Zane and even what she might do that she found herself holding her breath until, amazingly, she looked in to see that Zane was no where to be found. She blinked a couple of times, turning about to stare into the nearly deserted halls. He was…gone. Now she felt worse then before. She moaned lightly, slumping over. She had hurt him so badly he couldn't bear being in the same room as her. This was almost definitely the case.

"Girl." Duncan barked, having forgotten her name in that moment.

Courtney's face reddened as she turned to face him. "Excuse me! I have a name." she placed her hands on her hips and stuck out her lower lip.

He shrugged. "Whatever. Just get in the class." he ordered, moving to grab her wrist.

Courtney saw what he intended to do and jumped forward through the door to avoid the feel of his rough skin. It sent a shiver down her spine just thinking about it. "I'm going!" she snapped, sighing with annoyance as she stomped over to the back corner of the room, hoping that someone would fill the seat behind her before Duncan had a chance to make his way back there. But no one did.

Duncan was the last student to enter the class before the bell rang and he automatically filled in the seat closest to her. He not only did it for her though, he did it for himself as well.

As class began the teacher was the only one who wasn't staring at Duncan. She didn't seem to realize that he, like in the last class, did not belong. In a way it made this game of Duncan's all the more fun. And so the game began. For the next thirty minutes of class he made it his duty to do little things to get the teachers attention, whether that be interrupting class with paper airplanes, spitballs, or just to say hi, he did it all. He probably would have kept it up forever too if the teacher hadn't had to leave.

It was then that the fun officially started though. In the minutes following the teachers absence Courtney managed to draw all the attention of the world onto solely her with her stupidity. She fell right out of her seat. She yelped softly as she caught herself, but her quick catch did no good in keeping her classmates from hooting and hollering. It was one remark after another then. "Nice work you klutz!" one kid yelled, hands cupped around his mouth, from across the room. "Smooth! Are you planning to try out for the I'm a balanceless troll contest!" someone a row over at the front turned to scream, dying of laughter along with the rest of the class shortly after. The list goes on and on. But the only one that really mattered in the grand scheme of things was what was uttered by the boy next to Duncan. "Hey dipshit! I hope you're better in bed than you are at life!" It wasn't really what he said that got Duncan to speak, more so the proximity of him. Just knowing he was able to reach out and touch the bastard was enough of a push for him.

"Excuse me?" he said coolly, almost able to pass as not caring about the words uttered aside from the fact his mouth twitched slightly.

The fat boy snorted. "You ain't deaf." he scoffed. "An I ain't about to repeat myself to the likes of you either." he said it with so much confidence that Courtney had to wonder if he knew who he was talking to or was quite possibly on the stupid side.

Duncan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that so?" he breathed. "Well then let me tell you something." he paused, waiting for everyone to turn their gazes to him. It helped that the teacher was absent. "You may think you're hot stuff sitting on your perch and making fun of every one else's slip ups, but in reality you're nothing more then a whiny halfassed wimp who yearns for attention because your parents are to sorry to pay you any mind." he hesitated a fraction of a second, the sound of many gasps filling the momentary silence. The attention made him smirk devilishly. "So remember that the next time you think of opening that big mouth of yours. Because believe you me, it'll end up getting up killed." Duncan finished, folding his hands together just below his chin.

Courtney was amazed that Duncan wasn't all about rash actions and unnecessary violence. He really did have a brain up in that head of his which was miraculously capable of reasoning. Although she wasn't thrilled with how he went about knocking this boy down she still found a smile creeping onto her lips. Despite the harshness his words carried she could not deny seeing this asshole falter gave her immense pleasure. Even if it was but one of the many, at least it was better then none. He could be the example for everyone else. Screw with her and they screwed with the devil. She even made an involuntary giggle.

The boy was an instant away from turning about in his seat to face the front once more when her soft laugh hit him. He froze, eyes widening greatly as a fire possessed them. He slowly turned his head back around to her, jaw tight. "You think it's funny, huh?" he growled, cracking his knuckles repeatedly.

Courtney's amused expression vanished, eyes wide with fear. Only her mouth wasn't willing to agree with the signals of her mind. It was acting on its own accord. "Yeah, actually! You getting what you deserve kinda is."

The boy shook with fury. "Oh yeah?" he snapped. "How about after I wipe that smug grin off your hideous mug?" he seethed. "Then who'll be laughing!" he was inches from hopping up from his seat and fulfilling his statement when Duncan saw fit to interrupt.

"Sit boy." he mocked. "You know that I'll have to break your flabby neck if you lay a finger on her. So why not heed my warning from a minute ago and avoid the agony I'll be forced to make you endure." he raised a brow, hoping against his better judgment that the guy might be an idiot and lash out so that Duncan would have a legitimate reason for knocking every last one of his teeth out of his mouth.

He growled, mouth twitching uncontrollably. "That conceited little bitch doesn't deserve your protection!" he snarled, pointing a finger at her. "She needs to be slapped around to learn that people like her have no place taunting us! Them and their perfect lives can't compare to what we go through on a daily basis!" he paused, breathing in a deep breath. "You know that better than anyone. Isn't that right?" he finished curtly, intending to leave a bitter feeling in the air and an ache in Duncan's soul.

Duncan flinched, his composed demeanor slipping. No matter who said it or what they meant by it the very mention of his personal life, no matter how fleeting, hurt him deeply. Even now, especially since he half meant to cut Duncan down, Duncan felt his insides twisting into knots. He swallowed hard, fighting to keep his breathing regular and eyes void of any emotion other then loathing. "Just don't touch her." he hissed, venom dripping from his words.

The boy seemed to be considering the notion for a minute, gaze lifting away from the petrified Courtney to the ceiling. Only the bliss lasted no more then a couple of seconds, his dull eyes flashing to life with an angry passion. "Not on your life!" he shouted. But before he could bounce to his feet and hop over the arm of his desk it was already over.

Duncan, for the umpteenth time, had the reflexes of a cat. One second he was sitting peacefully and the next he had leapt up over in front of Courtney as a shield of the sorts. And the instant the boy landed on his side of the aisle he launched a hard punch at the boys jaw. It landed square on, making him stumble as blood appeared on his lip, but Duncan wasn't satisfied. He proceeded to knee him in the stomach and, as a final touch, sweep his feet out from under him so that he fell to the floor, hitting his head on the desk on the way.

Courtney swore that the class would have erupt into joyous cries and claps if not for the figure standing in the door. It was the teacher, and all was quiet, the silence deafening. Courtney more so then any of the others was sure to remain perfectly still in case the slightest movement be counted against her. Her stillness was further insured as she felt a strange force grip her. It was not physical, but it might as well have been. She felt strangled as her eyes remained glued on the teacher whose eyes never left Duncan who was standing triumphantly over the other boys body, traces of blood on his hand.

"Duncan!" her sharp cry split the air, resonating long after the words died on her lips. "That's where I know you!" she spat, index finger pointed accusingly at him. "You punk! **You **were the brat I had in detention more then in class all last year!" her voice revealed her complete disbelief, but not because she was witnessing him standing in the aftermath of a fight, more so it was the fact she'd been oblivious to who he was all this time. Courtney figured it was the scene itself that fit the pieces together for her.

He grunted with amusement. "The one and only." he said it with pride, like he was more then happy to be caught with his hands in the cookie jar, so to speak. He even offered her a smile, eyes gleaming.

The teacher clenched her hand at her side into a tight fist, groaning miserably. "I don't care what those idiots that head this school say! You may not be in my class, but you're still under my jurisdiction when in my presence!" she barked.

"Even at the mall?" he playfully whined, finding great entertainment in pushing her buttons. This was the case primarily because he had had her the year before. He could barely stand her then, knowing anything he did he would swiftly be punished for by her majesty with her superiority complex. But now, out of range of some of her worst punishments, he found the taste of torturing her all the sweeter.

She growled under her breath. "Detention!" she shrieked. "NOW!" she directed her finger toward the door, signaling for him to hightail it out of her eye and earshot.

Duncan rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders lightly as he turned away from the scene. He made sure to stomp on the kids legs as he went too, chuckling in a near sinister way as he did so. His state of apparent bliss was furthered by the fact that he lifted his head in the air, eyes closed, and allowed a soft smile pass his chapped lips. It was sad, but he was at his best moments after hurting someone else.

Courtney stared at him with the slightest of smiles. She found it kind of adorable seeing him brimming with happiness when he was usually so hard.

"Move it!" she spat, stomping her foot like a child would have when being denied their wish.

Duncan came to a slow stop before her. "Are you sure this is allowed…ma'am." he uttered the last word in a laugh, everyone seeing it was void of any real respect. "Last time I checked you weren't allowed to do shit unless I'm apart of you're class." Duncan smirked.

She stared him down, returning his devious look. "Well this time I have good solid proof of why you deserve it." she glanced over at the boy who was just starting to get to his feet with moans and groans abound. "And I intend to use it to its fullest." she hissed.

Duncan snorted. "So be it death warden."

She shook, grabbing him by the wrist. "Enough!" she cried, dragging him along. "We're going." She was about to step around the corner when she remembered her class, a glare forming. "And I better not come back to another scene." she said through clenched teeth. "Got it?"

There was a collective nod, all holding back snickers with their hands so as not to invoke the wrath of the beast. She was, after all, the nastiest teacher in this school. With that she turned her attention back to her prisoner, daring him to try anything.

Duncan smiled deviously, looking away from her and over to the brunette who he had foolishly stood beside minutes prior. His gaze hardened considerably, mouth drawing into a flat line, yet somehow there was a certain fondness that was absent from him ninety-nine percent of the time. This oddity was accompanied by his action. Just before he went out of sight he made a motion that Courtney interpreted to mean, 'see you later.' or perhaps, 'don't worry.' She wasn't sure. But in the blink of an eye he was gone from her sight, headed to trouble.

Courtney had stared right back at him as he held her in his intense gaze, unable to break free. And in a way she was glad she could not. She rather liked how distant and cold his eyes were while their color remained so tranquil and peaceful, a wonderful contrast. And then she sighed, content with how things were playing out even with all the violence Duncan carried along. She was just happy to be feeling at ease. So happy that not even the image of Zane's miserable face was enough to ruin it. Not then, and not any point after.

**Well...what do you think? The whole Courtney being pushed around by guys is getting a bit old imo, but I had to do it again. ^^'' Hopefully it wasn't to repetitive as far as that goes. I rather liked making Duncan protect her and just writing with Duncan in general. As I said before I l-o-v-e anything concerning him. His character is beyond awesome. Anyway...review please! :D**


	8. When You Say Nothing At All

**Wow...this was fast! I suppose it's cause I loved doing this particular part so much! I only hope you like it just as much! :D Enjoy!**

Courtney didn't see Duncan or Zane for the rest of that day and found herself slightly worried for the both of them. She, of course, figured Duncan would be perfectly able of taking care of his own hide, it was just Zane she wasn't so sure of. He seemed capable of doing just as well as Duncan could since they were both in that same kind of class where one knew how to handle any situation. Only she couldn't help but wonder if she was the exception for him. He'd appeared so very hurt by her harsh words that she didn't know what to believe. For all she knew he could be off plotting his own demise or even hers. Her only solace was that, at the end of the day, she swore she saw he over at the place she first met him. She reasoned with herself that no matter what was going on with him his presence at his regular spot signaled that all was well in his mind. Perhaps he was tortured to a degree, but it was not enough to alter his pattern of behavior and this pleased her. As such she was able to go home without worry.

By Monday she expected things to revert back to the way they'd been before the incident on Thursday, Zane talking to her with exuberance, Duncan battering her with harsh words, and worst of all the whole student body mocking her. But it was not so. Zane still refused to speak to her of his own accord, Duncan didn't cease his strange behavior of protecting her against whoever dared screw with her, and those who witnessed Duncan's displays of dominance didn't think twice about crossing him. And as such it was one of the best days she'd had since she arrived at this hellhole albeit the tiny itch at the back of her mind that made her hate herself for turning her back on Zane. He'd stood by her long before anyone else was willing to, he had been her one lifeline, and he ultimately became her savior. The only positive aspect was that he was at least back in school. And so she went with it.

This is how it went for the rest of the week, her woes decreasing in magnitude each and every day as Duncan's acts of aggression grew. At times Courtney wished to stop him and spoke her mind a couple of times, but ultimately she held her tongue on the matter. For although she'd grown quite fond of him and his uncanny ability to keep her from harm she could never be sure of how he'd react toward her. For all she knew he hated her as much as ever, doing what he did to satisfy some secret obsession he held within him. Only when fourth period came around that Friday did she make the decision that she no longer needed his assistance. She'd spent all week witnessing his asinine acts and she could barely stand it. "Duncan." she growled in an exasperated sigh, blowing a strand of her hair up out of her face as she flung him a look of annoyance.

Duncan lifted his head into the air, cackling as he stuck his leg out in a boy's path to obstruct his way and cause him to trip. "Priceless!" he cried, leaning his head down into the palm of his hand with a satisfied smirk.

"Duncan." she growled again, pursing her lips.

His smile slipped ever so slightly, turning his gaze over to the irritated prep. "What?" he chuckled, attempting to retain some of the joy of his offense.

She snorted. "What?" she mimicked in a voice similar to his. "You know what." a pause. "You're picking at every person that comes with a five foot radius of me without any plausible reason."

He blinked a couple of times, eyeing her carefully. "And?"

She growled lightly, resting her head in her hand much like Duncan was. "Do you really think they deserve that, even after the things they've said and done?"

He shrugged, chuckling as a boy across the room shook with fury after being flipped off by him. "I don't know." his grin widened. "Nor do I really care."

She shook her head. "It's not like each and every one of them is bent on hurting me! Not anymore anyway." she finished with a hopeless sigh.

"What are you talking about?" he asked dryly, looking at her as if she were an idiotic fool. "I'm not doing this for you!" he cried with a snort like laugh. "What ever made you think of such a convoluted idea?" he rolled his eyes.

"Ah!" she moaned, scowling. "How can you say that!" she barked. "If you're not doing this for me then why the hell are you chasing off every living soul who utters a word or, at this point, gets to close to me?" she pressed, a brow raised, arms crossed over her chest, and a fire glowing in her emerald eyes.

He lifted his head up, shaking his head in disbelief. "Oh, I don't know." he feigned innocent. "Maybe, just **maybe**, it's because I want to!" he paused, looking over at a girl who was whispering something to her friend next to her and made a face at the guy. Duncan snickered snidely as the both of them started mouthing explicates at him before he went back to ignoring them completely and added on to his sentence. "In case you didn't notice I **hate** you! I hate the way you always have to be perfect, how you insist on being a good two shoes who can do wrong, your uncanny ability to charm the pants off of any person you cross paths with as long as the circumstances are right for it, and worst of all I hate your looks. The way that one strand of hair always falls on your forehead, those freckles spray out across your cheeks, your eyes pierce any living soul, and the color of your skin reminds me of my favorite foods, it all just makes me sick to my stomach each and every time I'm forced to think about it." he spat with disgust, jerking his head away from her as he was immediately hit hard with a feeling of loathing towards himself rather then her. He could barely believe the words he'd thought of saying every day upon seeing her had honestly passed his lips. He knew that she would take it all the wrong way too. She'd think that his intense evaluation of her meant that deep down he didn't really mean what he said. And…she'd almost be right.

Courtney was baffled by Duncan's spurt of a list of her supposed flaws and lack of beauty. At least that's what she told herself it was, because for the life of her she just couldn't bring herself to believe that went he ranted about her appearance that he was really telling her all of the things he loved about her. It was a plausible assumption in most cases, but with him it couldn't be so. So after a minute of thought toward the subject her blank expression transformed into that of pure malice. Her eyes narrowed into a dark scowl, mouth turned sharply down into a deep frown, and her fists clenched in her lap. "What the fuck ever!" she snapped. "Say whatever you like, but that doesn't mean it's any more true then a lie." she hissed, staring him dead in the eye for the first time since they'd met. Previously she'd been to afraid, but at this point, no matter how formidable he managed to be, she found it impossible to be truly afraid. Despite the fact he plainly said he was without a doubt not doing this for her sake she refused to believe it. As such she knew he would never lay a hand on her with an intent to hurt.

Duncan emitted a low growl from his throat, mouth twitching from annoyance at her, and yet he knew very well he would do no more then this and some nasty language. He could never touch even the most coldhearted and bitchy girls, and that included the girl before him. "Too bad I'm not lying." he returned with the same sentiments.

She rolled her eyes, glancing over at the clock on the wall. Only fifteen more minutes remained. She wanted to believe that she was well enough to make it through these last minutes, but somehow she had a nagging feeling that told her she was being foolish and would never make it without starting something with the delinquent next to her who was as of now still delving deep into her eyes with his stone cold stare. She glanced lazily back to him, sighing. "Just shut up and pay attention! If you don't I'll tell the teacher that you are disrupting class and get you sent to detention again." she informed him with a smug smirk.

He snorted. "Is that supposed to intimidate me or something?"

Her pleasure at trapping him evaporated. "…Maybe…" I murmured slowly.

He shook his head, an inexplicitly amused expression playing across his rough features. "Have you learned **nothing** from the past week?" he chuckled. "Being in detention is less of a punishment then being stuck in this shit hole, especially when you're here." he raised his brows, daring me to find a way to turn his words around on him so that she was able to prove her strategy wasn't a load of useless crap.

Unfortunately Courtney was at a loss. She knew he was impossibly right. Someone like him wouldn't give a damn about being in class or in trouble. She hadn't been thinking about this when she opened her big fat mouth and severely regretted the fact. She did a mental face palm, wishing there was a way for her to take back her foolish threat. But there was none. So she simply remained silent, jerking her eyes away from his smug expression so that she could at least pretend he hadn't won. The only problem was that she could feel his intense gaze on her all the while, up until the last ten minutes till the bell.

When there was only about eight minutes left a girl asked the teacher to get up and go to the bathroom, something that was against the rules, but because she was the teachers pet she persuaded the teacher into letting her go. Only her need to go to the bathroom wasn't existent. The reason she wanted permission was so that she could get into close proximity with Courtney. And now was the perfect time. Since it was so close to the end of the period the teacher had given up on teaching and turned her back on the class. So the girl, Brittany, from Courtney's second period class, had an all access pass. She stood tall over her, dark black eyes holding intent to hurt in the best way she knew how, mouth curved into a devilish grin as her red hair swayed gently behind her to give her the appearance of a person on fire, the perfect image of a devil. "If it isn't the school slut." she hissed between clenched teeth. "Scouting out your next victim are we?"

Courtney jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, not recognizing it as her until she turned to lay eyes upon her sinister face. Courtney swallowed hard, pressing her lips tightly together. From what Duncan had told her about some of the bigger problems, one being her, she was someone Courtney was to try her hardest to avoid. He'd forced this point across harder then the others, saying that no matter what he did she was more then likely to never give up on torturing her, especially after he had stood up for her. She had asked him before why he couldn't just beat the crap out of her like he did every other guy and he cringed. His face drained of color, eyes holding a far off look of what she presumed to be fear, and his mouth drew into a thin line. He didn't answer her, but she got the hint that it was something awful and kept her mouth shut about the matter after that. She just imagined that what he would have told her was, 'I can't, because I can't', and took it as it was. Although she couldn't help but wonder…why had he looked so sad…?

Duncan looked up at her with anger, holding his tongue with much effort.

Brittany pursed her lips. "Humph!" she snorted, tossing her hair back. "Not answering huh?" she shook her head. "Fine. It's not like it's any of my business who you fuck at night while the rest of us are sleeping blissfully unaware." she sneered, her bright teeth showing.

Courtney cringed at the accusation. If word ever got out of the school circle of rumors back to her mother of these scandalous indecencies she'd never hear the end of it. In fact, her mother was highly inclined to slap her senseless, that or beat her down ruthlessly with her worst weapon, her words. She knew how much she sought approval from her, so she wouldn't hesitate a fraction of a second in using this to her advantage. Still she said as little as possible, heeding Duncan's warning. "Then you have what you want." I grumbled shakily. "So go."

Brittany burst out laughing, miraculously not drawing an ounce of attention to them. "Yeah, right!" she choked out. "I'm not letting you go until I see you squirm as much as humanly possible. It's what you get. You brought it upon yourself."

_You brought it upon yourself. _Duncan's eyes flashed dangerously as the words echoed around in his mind. He wished Brittany would go die in a hole, rotting forever where no one else would find or care about her. Though much like Courtney he refrained from opening his mouth. It was made extremely obvious by how his body shook, his way of allowing his anger to escape without him having to lose control.

Brittany noticed before Courtney that Duncan was inches from losing his head and decided she'd play with him. A devilish smirk played across her face, eyes full of life. "Oh, Dunkie." she cooed. "Whatever is the matter?" she giggled lightly to herself, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. "You look cold."

Courtney perked, dragging her attention from the catty girl to the convulsing boy. She was perturbed to find that he looked so very upset. Why was this when before she hadn't even spoken to him? Was it something she said? Or was it simply just his instinct to help her kicking in? "Duncan…?" she whispered.

Duncan jerked his gaze over to her, eyes ablaze. Don't talk, don't talk, don't say a another word. He replayed this over and over in his head as if this would transfer his thoughts over to the brunette so that she would get the message and not breathe another word to him.

Courtney jumped a bit as he turned his fiery eyes on her. She'd not seen him this way before. What the hell…?

Brittany was to dense to see that she was skating on thing ice and pushed farther then she should have. She even laughed at his ever growing fury. "Ooooh, are you getting mad?" she poked. "Got a short fuss when it comes to her do you now?" she snickered. "So tell me…" she trailed off, grabbing Courtney by her hair and yanking it hard up towards herself. "What are you gonna do when I make her cry?"

Courtney let out a tiny yelp at the sudden unexpected pull on her hair. It was one of the more delicate parts of her body, so having it messed with so roughly was not something she enjoyed to well. "Stop it!" she cried out to Brittany, scowling slightly up into her coal black eyes. But as much as she wanted to get Duncan to wring her tiny neck out for her and as close as she came to asking, she did nothing of the like. Instead she bit hard down on her own lip, remembering well how he wouldn't touch a girl with harmful intentions.

Duncan's eyes shot open wide, trembling with fear. In that moment he was no longer seeing what everyone else surely was. His mind's eye had transformed the typical scene of girl on girl fighting into a sinister setting. He was no longer at school, he was in his house and Courtney was not herself, she was now the one person who he couldn't bear to see in jeopardy. She was his mother. She was huddled in the corner of the room, shaking with impossible force, tears trailing down her beautiful pale face with no sign of stopping. Her arms were wrapped tightly about herself and she appeared to be turning purple in spots. And Duncan had a front row seat to her sorrow. He stood blankly at the entrance to the room, unable to comprehend his mother in such shambles, for he was only five. "O-Oh…honey." she blubbered, wiping at her eyes. "Y-You're…h-home." she smiled painfully. Duncan continued to stand their with a blank expression. "Sw-sweetheart…" she murmured. "Go…go to your room." she sobbed. "Please." he had stood there after for a long time, not because he wished to defy her, simply because he found no will to lift any one of his limbs. He was glued to this place, a specter to his mother's emotional torment. To young to do anything, and sadly, to old to forget it. "Mommy…" he said with uncertainty, finally finding his power of mobility enough to reach her. "Baby…" she said back, opening her arms up to him and hugging him close to her heart. "I'm sorry…so sorry…" she breathed. He whimpered softly, rubbing his head on her chest to offer comfort the only way he knew how, his eyes slowly filling with warm tears which started to trickle down his face a moment or so later. But he wasn't crying for his own pain, he was crying for her. It was the first time too. And he hoped never to cry again.

"What you gonna do?" she continued to taunt. "You can't do shit. You won't touch me. You're a coward."

Duncan snapped out of his dazed state of confusion into to full freak out mode. If what she'd said previously wasn't bad enough this definitely took the cake. He shot up into a standing position, towering over her by a good length as his eyes blazed with an unimaginable fury, mouth curved into a menacing snarl, and hands gripped so tight her drew his own blood from the palms of his hands. "Wanna bet bitch!" he snarled. "Cause I'll kick your motherfucking ass from here to next Sunday, beat your bullshitting mouth so hard there won't be a single tooth left, and stab your guts beyond repair! And I **won't** hesitate!" he reached to grab onto the collar of her shirt like he went to punch others, yanking her up off the ground in the blink of an eye. "I'll **kill** you." _Coward. _His mouth twitched, teeth grinding together to make an awful sound. "I will." he hissed.

Brittany's eyes were bulging up out of her head as the usually gentle delinquent, toward girls at least, jerked her towards him so fast she lost her breath and released Courtney in the process. "H-Help…" she choked out, barely able to breathe the way he was holding her collar.

He cocked his head to the side slightly, chuckling darkly. "I'm sorry, what was that?" he sneered, mocking her for something he remembered her saying a day or two ago. "Did I hear you ask for…for **help**?" he spit out a fake laugh. "I-I must be going deaf or something. Last time I checked you didn't need help." his eyes glinted cruelly as he soaked in his maliciousness for one of his few weaker moments. He was so lost in his hellish emotions that he barely registered that he was in a school setting instead of off alone with this witch. He wasn't thinking.

Zane had been keeping his head down all of the period, not paying mind to any of the words swirling about him as he remained tucked back in the corner on the opposite side of the room of Duncan and Courtney. That is, until he heard Brittany speak to Duncan. He knew immediately that she was putting herself in a perfect position to have her blood splattered across the room. But he hadn't warned her, he merely kept on watching to see how far she was willing to go an how much Duncan was capable of taking before he broke. And if he were to break then it would all go to hell. Much like the day he'd been called to Duncan after 'betraying' him for Courtney, only ten million times worse. He had seen it before, and time and time again, hoping to never witness it another time after it happened. He never got his wish. And he never expected to.

Only now, as Duncan screamed bloody murder, did Zane see that he could no longer sit idly by like he was. When Duncan got this way, worked up by his horrible past and even present life, he didn't stop for anything. His haunting life, and subsequently anything he thought to connect back to it in any way, was his one and only weakness. No one in this room or school would be able to quail the beast within him, fighting ferociously to destroy any traces of those who awakened his restless spirit. Only his mother could pull off this feat, her and, depending on the circumstances, himself. Zane had known him longer then anyone else and as such had a eighty percent chance of catching hold of the fire within him and successfully extinguishing it. Still, this high chance did not do any good in quieting his own fears of Duncan. He feared him as much as anyone else for he was strong, focused, and unimaginably headstrong. Once on a specific path, even one of self-destruction and heartache, he rarely let up of his own accord until he accomplished his goal. In this case he could only imagine that the goal was to flat out torture her. So he was sure to jump up and cry out to his friend, "Duncan!"

Duncan snapped his head about toward the direction of the sound, face red with rage, teeth bared, a vicious part of himself controlling him.

Zane was struck with a pang of fright as daggers were sent his way from Duncan's eyes. Still he couldn't let himself be a coward. Duncan hated cowards. "Stop it!" he yelled. "Let her go!"

Everyone's eyes were drawn to Duncan at this point, this sudden and thoroughly unexpected spur of rage an interest. Duncan held Zane in his eyes all the while, trembling. "No!" he screamed across the room. "She needs to pay!"

Zane shook his head hurriedly, taking as many steps across the room as he was willing to risk so that he was standing within two of his arms length of Duncan. "No." he said sternly. "She doesn't." he sighed softly. "She hasn't done anything to deserve it. She doesn't know you." he said this in the best way he knew how without having to let the truth of Duncan slip out for anyone who was able to hear it.

"SHUT UP!" he bellowed, pulling her collar around her neck tighter. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Shut up yourself!" Zane ordered him. "I know more about you then your own parents!" he pointed an index finger at him. "So don't you **dare** go and say I don't know what I'm talking about."

Duncan dropped Brittany then, instead turning his attention fully onto Zane. "I'll kill you too!"

Zane swallowed hard, but outwardly snorted to hide the fact he was scared. "Like hell!" he retorted. "The day you kill me is the day you lay a finger on your mother!" Zane immediately regretted the comparison, but it was necessary, and would probably be enough to bring him down.

Duncan's face grew grim, all traces of anger disintegrating before everyone's eyes. He no longer felt the will to move either, hands unclenching and starting to shake slightly as he lifted them closer to his face to stare at. "No…" he murmured pitifully. "No…"

"Yes." Zane said in a hushed voice, closing what was left of the gap between them.

"I don't care about hurting you!" he screamed, tears brimming in his teal eyes as he shook his head violently from side to side.

"I never said that." Zane said with certainty. "You just won't kill me." he hesitated in what he planned to do for a moment, not sure that now was the right time to make contact. So instead he chose to say more. "Unless you have changed your mind about your mother. Do you want to hurt her?" Zane hissed cruelly, hating himself all the while. He even felt as if he might cry for Duncan as penance for his heartless words.

"NO!" he screamed, gripping his head and digging his nails into the skin. But it did no harm to himself despite the fact he almost wanted it too. His heart was aching so badly now that he could barely keep himself together. His heart pounded in his ears, head throbbing, body shaking uncontrollably, and knees about ready to buckle from weakness. "I can't do this!" he moaned as Zane reached out a hand for him and bolted an instant before he was touched, leaving everyone in the room to mull over the freakish display that had occurred. No one was able to explain it either, no one but Zane.

Courtney was just now rising to her feet after having been dropped, mind incapable of wrapping itself around the reasoning behind Duncan's spazz attack. It was especially difficult because to her he was an unbreakable force who dominated over all else. As far as she had known he had no weakness, nothing for which others could use against him, it was an impossibility. So now, after seeing him near the brink of cracking, she was at a loss. If only she knew what it was exactly that had sent him spiraling down like that. Then maybe she would be able to understand him more.

Zane was aware of all the intense gazes set on him, but he didn't care. All her cared about was going after Duncan and making sure he wasn't about to kill someone else or himself even. He certainly had the capacity to do so. So with a fleeting glance around the room and a nod from the teacher he raced out the door after the shattered boy that was his friend. He had to catch him. He couldn't let him slip away like he always liked to do after having a fit. Because God only knows what he was about to do. "Duncan!" he cried out, looking about himself furtively, eyes wide with fear.

Duncan had only made it around the corner of the first hall leading away from the straight stretch that led out the door before he'd crumpled down on the ground, arms wrapped about himself in a vain attempt to quiet his annoying convulsions. He was also sobbing lightly, trying his hardest to hold the tears clouding his vision back. All the while all he could think of was one word. _Coward._

Zane nearly passed the place where Duncan sat up in his hurry, but Duncan's stifled whines and whimpers were enough to catch his attention before he made the mistake. He jerked his head about in the direction of the noise, saddening as he laid eyes on his friend. He'd seen him this way many times before, but somehow this was different. In most cases he crumpled when no one was there to witness it, but now everyone he knew was a minute away from bursting forth and seeing him in his pathetic state. Zane knew that this too was a great fear he had. It did not possess the power to reduce him to the state he was in now, but it did hold a powerful place in his heart for if he were to lose his place as the toughest guy in the school he would have lost it all. This was the only thing he had to be proud of anymore. Without it he would without a doubt hurt a magnitude of people, mostly those who thought it fit to mock him. "Duncan…" he murmured sadly, walking slowly over to him as he bit at his lip as a way to keep himself from crying as well.

Duncan barely showed that he was aware another person, Zane, was present. Sure he cared about his image as much as if not more then the next guy, but knowing it was Zane made it less significant. He knew very well that Zane would never denounce his moments of weakness to a living soul. He was the only person he trusted with the matter too.

Zane sighed softly, crouching down next to Duncan as he whispered, "Are you ok?" It was a lame question, he knew, but it was the way he always went about soothing him.

Duncan swallowed hard, burying his head in his knees. "Stupid question." he muttered.

"What?" he asked softly, daring to reach over and touch Duncan's shoulder.

Duncan didn't take to kindly to the action. He lashed his arm out at him, throwing his hand from his shoulder and hitting him in the side in the process. "You heard me just fine!" he screamed, lifting his head up for a moment to reveal a tear stained face and puffy red eyes which betrayed him by showing his sadness.

Zane was taken aback by the sight of tears on Duncan's face, even when he worked himself up like this he rarely ever showed tears, even to Zane. Only one other time had Zane witnessed him cry as he was now. It was when he was eight, before he promised himself never to cry again, when he broke his arm after falling from the monkey bars. After that Duncan had never shed tears again, not in his presence at least. "Duncan." he said softly. "I'm just trying to help."

Duncan's lip never ceased quivering. "W-Why…"

Zane blinked a couple of times. "What…? What do you mean?"

Duncan looked away from him in shame. "Why-Why…do you try so hard…?"

Zane didn't know what to say to this. He'd never really thought hard on why he always stuck by Duncan's side through thick and thin. All he really knew was that he did it. No matter what was done to him by Duncan he refused to abandon him. At times he wondered if there was a reason at all.

Duncan loathed his silence. "I d-don't deserve it. I-I'm not worthy of your attention." he stuttered, trying his hardest to swallow his tears back and hide the sobs that he hated with all his being.

Zane shook his head slightly. "That's not true." he tried to assure him, placing his hand back on his shoulder with tentativeness.

Duncan's eyes flared. "But it is!" he spat, not bothering to throw his hand off this time for he no longer had the will to. Besides, he needed the comfort his touch offered him. Without it he would surely fall further into the abyss of his memories. "I-I hurt you all the time! Sometimes for no reason!" saying this aloud made it hurt all the more.

Zane flinched as the truth was verbalized. He'd never said this to Duncan, knowing full well that even if he had realized this he would fall into himself with hurt. "Duncan." he said sternly, eyes set hard despite the way his heart ached for Duncan. "Look at me." he growled.

Duncan slowly turned his gaze back to him, expression as tortured as ever.

Zane caught his breath at the sight of his face for the second time. "I don't care what you think. I'm telling you that all this shit you do makes no difference to me. I mean, honestly, do you think I'd be hanging around now if it bothered me?" Zane offered a half smile of the sorts. "I'd do anything for you." his voice lost some of it's hardest, reverting to that gentle voice that he had heard Duncan's mother use on him at time or two before. Of course it lacked the charm only a mother's voice could hold, but it was the best he could do. "You're my friend, Duncan."

Duncan stared deep into his friend's red eyes, finding no traces of a lie. As such he let out a heavy breath, wiping at his eyes to remove the tears. "Mmm…" he murmured, not a real word, but something he knew Zane would understand.

Zane smiled a bit more, standing and offering a hand to Duncan as an aid for him to stand.

Duncan took it after a moment of uncertainty, standing up to look at Zane through eyes void of tears. He wanted to say so much to him then, but his tongue was disobedient. So instead he murmured a single word, "Thanks."

Zane nodded, draping his arm about his shoulder before leading him on back to the classroom. It was a risky move, taking him into the lions den like this, but it was what needed to be done.

As they reentered Duncan instantly stiffened, knowing that every last person present was staring dead at him, Courtney included. He swallowed hard, knees shaking ever so slightly. He was sure they would buckle on him as they'd done in the halls. He was so scared of what they'd all say. Fortunately he was saved as the bell rang around them, sending everyone into a frenzy to get out the door and to their next class.

Zane removed his arm from Duncan, patting him on the back gently before turning away from him and leaving Duncan alone with Courtney.

Courtney looked at Duncan as if he were a monster who was capable of eating her alive in an instant, at least that's what Duncan saw. He didn't see how she couldn't be thinking this.

Courtney walked slowly up to him. "Hey." she muttered tentatively.

He didn't say a word, just stared intensely down into her emerald green eyes.

Courtney swallowed hard. "Um…" she pulled at her sleeve nervously. "You ok?"

Duncan cringed as the words Zane had said to him spilled from behind her lips, but he made sure not to react poorly as he had previously. "Fine." he growled through clenched teeth.

Courtney frowned, not believing it from the way his eyes were red from crying and how his face was stained with the remnants of the said tears. "That's…good…"

"Come on." he ordered her, turning away before she could say something that would make him have to continue to face her.

"Oh!" she cried. "Wait!" she grabbed onto his wrist, freezing as she felt how cold he was.

Duncan's cold eyes turned toward her, piercing her soul. "What?" he hissed.

"I-I…I don't need you to keep escorting me around anymore." she swallowed hard. "I'll be fine now."

His eyes grew wide, shining with indescribable horror. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I think everyone has learned their lesson. They know better then to screw with me now."

His mouth twitched. "You're afraid of me, aren't you?" he said stiffly, brows raised to further his image of disdain.

She knew he would say this, especially considering that this came so soon after his breakdown, yet she'd gone through with her plan anyway. "No!" she cried defensively, waving her hands about. "No! That's not it at all!" she shook her head.

He scowled. "Sure it isn't." he grumbled, turning his gaze back ahead of him and started to walk into the crowded halls.

"Duncan!" she half screamed, stomping her foot. "Stop it!" she breathed in and out heavily. "This has nothing to do with you and your freak out!" he stiffened, hands clenched into fists. "I just can't take your aggressive behavior toward everyone!" she sighed irritably. "Got it? So don't you dare think for even a second I care about what just happened! I don't care. I means nothing."

He turned back to face her, tears lacing his eyes once more. "No different then anyone else." he shook his head slowly. "No one ever cares." And with that he turned away from her and disappeared into the halls.

Courtney stared after him for a moment, wanting to have said something to him before allowing him to disappear before her eyes, but unable to come up with anything fast enough. She sighed softly at her inability to be quick witted, heading off into the halls as he had to her fifth period class. She needed to get this off her chest. So she was sure to talk to Alexia.

Thankfully Alexia was in her spot, bouncing about in her seat and waiting for Courtney to approach and regale her with past happenings. "Hey Courtney!" she called out, waving.

Courtney forced a peppy smile. "Hey." she waved back., taking her spot next to the blonde girl.

"What's up?" she chirped, smile big and bright enough to contain the whole sun in it.

Courtney refrained from sighing. It was bad for her. "Nothing much." she shrugged, looking anywhere but at her.

Alexia frowned slightly. "Liar!" she exclaimed, giggling. "Something is definitely wrong." she nodded with certainty, leaning her head in close to Courtney's so they were but inches apart, her hands on her hips. "Yep. Without a doubt."

Courtney chuckled softly. "A little something." she admitted sadly.

Alexia leaned back out of her face, pleased that she was an inch from spilling her secrets to her. For if there was one thing Alexia liked more then anything else it would have to be secrets. Well?" she pried, eyes wide with anticipation.

Courtney swallowed hard, unsure that she was supposed to tell anyone else this. Duncan had seemed so miserable before he fled and after he returned. Maybe there were some things that were better left unsaid. "Well…I don't know if I should say." Courtney admitted.

Alexia made a pouty face. "Aww…come on Courtney." she whined. "I won't tell anyone! I swear it!" she insisted. And she meant it. As much as she liked spreading things around she knew when she should keep her mouth shut tight.

Courtney thought hard about the likelihood of her being truthful or not, afraid considering she hadn't known her long enough to judge her character. "Well…" she trailed off.

"Pleeeease!" Alexia begged, clasping her hands together at her chest.

Courtney laughed lightly. "It's…it's about Duncan." Courtney finally admitted.

This instantly sent Alexia into a frenzy. "What!" she exclaimed. "That bastard! I thought you said he was protecting you now!" she shook with fury, fists clenched now. "Where is he! I beat the living crap out of him!" she sprang up out of her seat, not joking in the least.

"Alexia!" Courtney moaned, grabbing her by the wrist. "Just listen to me." she begged quietly.

Alexia wanted badly to beat Duncan up, especially from all she'd learned of him. He was an asshole ninety percent of the time and as such deserved what was coming to him. Never-the-less she did as Courtney said and seated herself, smoothing her clothes back out. "Ok."

Courtney smiled wanly. "He didn't hurt me." she was sure to say right off. "He didn't do anything to me." Alexia was visibly surprised by this, but refrained from interrupting with much effort. "It's just that…he had an episode."

Alexia cocked her head to the side. "An episode?" she scrunched up her noise. "Well now what the heck does **that **mean?" she laughed at herself, quieting as she caught Courtney's eye.

"Before I didn't think he could even think of hurting a girl." she sighed. "I mean…he basically told me a while back that he couldn't beat up the bitchiest of girls. Some sort of moral code or something." Courtney shrugged lightly. "But…today…something changed. He didn't physically touch her, just her shirt, but…it was crazy." she shook her head. "He just snapped."

Alexia was captivated by this tale, nodding imperceptibly all the while. "What do you think did it then?" she saw fit to add to the conversation at this point.

Courtney simultaneously shrugged and shook her head. "That's just it. I don't have a clue."

Alexia frowned. "So weird." she sighed, resting her head in the palm of her hand. "Maybe he has some deep dark secret that he's never told anyone." Alexia's eyes brightened, an almost evil smirk passing her lips at the very thought. "Wouldn't that be something?"

Courtney took her question as rhetorical and ignored it, instead answering her previous statement. "He must."

Alexia snorted. "Either way that's one screwed up kid."

**...**

At some point between the beginning of fifth and the end of it Zane had slipped from his spot at the front of the class out somewhere else. Courtney wanted to know where the hell he'd gone off to, knowing all the while that she would never find out, especially if they continued to not talk to each other. But she had a feeling it was something to with Duncan, something about today.

As Courtney never ceased to think about his where abouts Zane walked along the sidewalk of the school, Duncan's state of mind heavy on his own mind. He'd come just for that too. He only thanked God it was Friday. Friday was one of their allotted days of skipping school and hanging out together. It wasn't something that always happened, usually they had to plan the meeting beforehand, but today was different. He was willing to miss an hour or two of school, even if Duncan ended up not being there, to try and check on his friend. But if he knew Duncan as he thought he did he would surely be there. After what happened…

Duncan was sitting up against the brick wall of the school, hands laying his lap as he tried his hardest to keep himself calm. It wasn't too easy considering the circumstances though, especially since he was awfully afraid that Zane would not come seeing as there had been no plan to meet. He bit his lip and cringed. All Duncan could do was hope and pray that Zane knew him well enough to see that he desperately needed him now more then ever.

Zane strolled around the corner, smiling painfully as his eyes rested on Duncan sitting motionless on the grass. Yet he didn't say a word, he merely waited patiently for Duncan to see that he'd come.

It took but a moment for Duncan to sense the presence of another and slowly lift his gaze up to meet Zane's. Duncan was happy for the first time in the last hour, and not that fake happy that a lot of people pretended to be for the sake of another's sanity. He really was pleased that Zane had come. As such he pushed himself up off the ground with caution, standing even with him.

For a long while this was how they remained, each staring deep into the other's eyes for something neither were sure of. Not a muscle was moved as the time slipped by, sun moving as it always did no matter what else changed. it was one of those constants in this life, much like the boy's devotion to each other. Despite the fights they got into all the time they could never really hate the other for they knew that the other would be at their side in an instant when it came down to it. This was what it meant to love another unconditionally without being in love.

After nearly an hour had passed, the end of school nearing, Duncan allowed a pained half smile to pass his chapped lips.

Zane smiled a bit more then he had been, some of the pain in his expression evaporating at seeing his friend even a little bit happy.

Duncan moved then, wrapping his large arms around Zane's neck and squeezing hard as well as rested his head on his shoulder. He was shaking slightly with tears in his eyes, but it did not mean he was upset. He was simply happy beyond comprehension to know someone who held him in such high regard.

Zane hesitated a fraction of a second before moving an arm around Duncan's upper back. And with this they were able to say all they needed without saying a word at all. Zane forgave him for punching him, Duncan forgave Zane for skipping out on him to go with Courtney, and they also thanked each other for everything else they'd done for the other, especially this day. It was something man and woman were never able to accomplish. It's why bros came before girls. And ultimately it was why Zane and Duncan would always be friends.

**Duncan went crazy. O.o It was so much fun though. Hope he wasn't way out of character though. And you know, it's really funny how you can plan a chapter out in your head and it turn out so different from the way you thought it would go! XD I'm serious. You don't know how different this was going to be. It was originally all about Courtney getting Duncan to leave her alone and now...it's just NOT! That took up a very small portion of the chapter. lol On top of that because that changed I'm going to add another chapter between this and my originally planned chapter. So there's some food for thought. Please review! :D**


	9. No Reason

**I like this one a lot. :D And I just love this story! I've never been so devoted to a fan fiction chapter story, usually updates become less frequent and I don't 'feel it' anymore. (Eyes of Fire anyone?) But this is different! Makes me happy! Enjoy!**

The weekend after the incident was a total bust for Courtney. Originally she had planned to hang out at the movies with her only gal pal Alexia, but when Alexia's grandmother unexpectedly fell ill she rushed off to visit her instead. Courtney didn't blame her for holding family higher up then friends, but she certainly didn't enjoy being ditched on such short notice. It was one of those things that she had acquired from her mother in the aspect that every minuet detail of the week had to go according to plan or life was hell. As such her Saturday was just that, a living hell. "Shut up!" she screamed at the top of her lungs in return to her mother's demand that she 'get off her lazy ass and find a life.' "I can do whatever I damn well please!"

Her mother's nostrils flared, eyes ablaze, as she stood in the doorway to her daughter's room. "Watch your mouth!" she snapped. "You'll never get anywhere if you toss around such vulgar language." she sighed irritably, rolling her eyes as if to say this was common knowledge when in fact it was not to most ordinary people. "Now get outside!" she added harshly.

"I **told** you!" Courtney spat. "I was **going** to, but Alexia had other stuff to deal with." a pause. "Duh!" Courtney rolled her eyes in the same manner as her mother had previously.

Her mother moved her hands to her hips. "So." she hissed, eyes narrowing into slits. "Go make new friends! You can never have enough acquaintances." she nodded firmly.

Courtney licked her lips, an annoyed smile of the sorts making its way onto her lips. "Which is it mom?" she murmured with obvious contempt. "Do I need more friends or just acquaintances?" she breathed in deeply, trying to keep herself under control. "Because in case you didn't notice they aren't the freaking same thing!" she turned herself around in her bed so that she was facing the she-devil. "A friend actually takes time and effort to earn and keep! An acquaintance is someone you basically use to further yourself! So think hard about this mom. Which one am I supposed to have?" she smirked darkly, seething with anger stemming from both Alexia's absence and her mother's hardheadedness.

Her mother, unlike Courtney, did not attempt to hide her fury behind a mask, she let her words fly. "Stop being a smartass!" she spat, shaking from rage and totally overlooking the fact she had cussed.

"Ah!" Courtney raised a hand in the air to wag a finger at her mother for being hypocritical. "Language." she said in a mocking tone, vengeful smile spreading across her face.

"That's it!" she slammed her fist into the wall, finding nothing else within reach to hit. "I don't know **where** you got this arrogant behavior from, but it **has** to stop!" she breathed heavily in and out. "So the next time you even think of undermining me there **will** be consequences! You got that!" she barked.

Courtney snorted, twirling her hair in her fingers. "Whatever mom." she murmured, rolling her eyes in hopes that her mother would see and become further pissed. It was a bad habit, she knew, but as a release when things happened to go array she set to doing everything in her power to send her mother into a frenzy of her own. She realized that this put her in the same category as her mom as far as self-control went, but in this case she really didn't care all that much. Maybe she'd eventually break the habit, perhaps turning her rage onto that punk Duncan at school, but more then likely she wouldn't. After what happened Friday she honestly couldn't be sure of anything concerning him.

"Get out!" she bellowed. "Just get out!" she ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes tight as a way to soothe herself, it barely working.

Courtney scrunched up her face. "What?" she growled through clenched teeth. "This is **my** room! You can't tell me to stay out of it."

"Yeah?" she opened her eyes a sliver to stare down darkly at her daughter. "Well, guess what. This is **my** house. And I say that you aren't to step a foot in it until you accomplish **something** worthwhile!"

Courtney thought about it a minute, frowning as she weighed the cost of disobeying. She knew well she'd probably get smacked for her resistance, nothing new. She also knew that her mother was an instant away from slipping over the edge and quite literally spewing poison. It wasn't that she liked her mother's hurt feelings, she just couldn't help it considering her mother did everything in her power to make her miserable. She'd suffered through it for years, having to be that perfect little girl that everyone wanted to have, being an all-star student, dismissing those who were 'unworthy' or would only drag her down in the future, and basically doing everything that no normal person should be expected to do. And after a while it takes its toll. She was no exception to the rule. Yet in this moment she still found herself conforming to her mother's picture perfect vision. She sighed heavily, hanging her head. "Fine." she breathed, rolling over off the bed into a standing position a few arms lengths away from her mother. "I'll go."

Her mother's desperate, rage consumed face transformed. It was like a tremendous burden was lifted from her shoulders the way her brow lifted away from her eyes, mouth curving in to a pleasant smile, eyes round and gentle once more. "Good." she walked within arms reach of Courtney, ruffling her hair. "That's my girl." she sounded like any other mother in the instant, like the person Courtney yearned to have around every moment of the day, and the one thing that would never happen no matter how hard she tried or how perfect she was.

Courtney brightened instantly, loving the feel of her mother's gentle touch despite herself. It was one of those things she couldn't help but rejoice in no matter the circumstances and ultimately was what broke her in choosing whether to go along with her mother or vie against her wishes. For she so loved to bask in the occasional offering of affection her mother gave. It was her weakness, her true reason for trying her very hardest to appear perfect. Sad, isn't it? "Of course." she chirped, an edge of bitterness evident in her words following. "I live to serve…"

"Run along then." she said softly, ceasing her rubbing motion and turning away from Courtney as if to say 'the conversation is over.' Courtney knew this well.

Courtney sighed sadly, slowly exiting what was supposed to be her domain without a clue as to what she was supposed to do in the hours that followed. There was no one in this stupid town who she knew well enough to drop by unannounced, there was no place to seek refuge that would also prove to hold her attention, and there certainly wasn't a 'special spot'. She'd had one back in her old hometown. It was the fountain in the park. No matter what time of year it was she knew she could find solace in its presence.

She sighed again as she passed through the kitchen to float soundlessly out the back door to meet the harsh elements. It was only the beginning of September yet she could already feel the onset of winter. She liked to think it was some sort of God given talent. Although in this case she was pretty sure it was little more then the fact she was so sparsely dressed. She was still in her nightwear, a t-shirt with the picture of some pokemon or another, and shorts the color yellow. A breeze picked up and she shivered automatically, bringing her arms up around herself as a shield. As goose bumps formed on her skin she pondered whether she should go back in and grab a jacket, even going so far as to turn around toward the house before she mentally slapped herself for thinking up the stupid idea. She would have to be foolish to risk stepping a foot back on the threshold in such a short amount of time. On top of that she saw her mother rounding the corner in that instant.

Courtney let out a sharp squeak, ducking down below the window to conceal herself. She found it to be a pitiful excuse for cover, but she realized it really made little difference, especially when she heard something she hadn't heard in years float to her on the wind.

Her mother was humming a catchy yet simultaneously soothing tune to herself as she moved about the kitchen in an automated manner. First she went to the cabinets above the stove, drawing from it a bowl or two, then she swept toward the food cupboard to put a multitude of containers in the bowl to later mix together, and after she set it all down she clicked on the preheat option on the stove. The movements weren't what shocked Courtney though as she peeked over the sill of the window with innocent curiosity, it was the fact that her mother did all this with a smile. She hadn't seen her so happy since forever.

Courtney stared wide eyed onto the scene before her. What was wrong with her? She had been about to burst a minute before. Nothing on earth had the ability to change this woman so quickly, unless… "No…" Courtney hissed, eyes narrowing. Was it because she had won their argument? Was this the ultimate pleasure for her twisted mind? Courtney allowed a low growl to erupt from her throat as the thought crossed her mind. She'd never forgive her mother if this were the case. No one who garnered such amusement from something so nerve-wracking deserved to be pardoned. And with a final irritated sigh Courtney picked herself up and stomped off around her house and down the sidewalk into the mysterious town she refused to call home.

While Courtney had immediately thought the worst of the woman in the kitchen in reality her fears were not true. Her mother, to an extent, was pleased at still being able to reign supreme over her seventeen year old daughter, but the true reason to her happiness was that once she'd shoved Courtney out of her own room she had found a priceless picture of them all together. Courtney had been but eight and they'd been camping out in the forest just outside of their old home. They even did a fair amount of fishing too since it was Courtney's obsession at the time. This being the case the picture that she now held in her hand had Courtney up close with a fish in her hands and a wide grin plastered on her face. Her parents were farther back, her mother's sister taking the picture. It was one of the only pictures where they all managed to be in it and more importantly it was one of the last remnants of proof that there had in fact been a point in time when the fights were nonexistent. Her mother heaved a heavy sigh, pressing the photo close to her chest for a moment before tucking it into the pocket of her pants and continuing on with her planned recipe.

Courtney had walked a full hour before she came to the conclusion she could not go any further without risking some sort of cold mixed with exhaustion related illness. Really it was only in her head. So she found the nearest seat which just so happened to be a bench that, sadly to Courtney, was by a skate park of the sorts. She lifted her head to the sky, groaning miserably before raising her hands up and allowing her head to fall easily into them. I just can't win!" she moaned, shaking her head in her heads. "I'm doomed to fail." as she griped on and on about her life to herself she couldn't help but take in all the sounds around her. Despite it being nearly dark out there was a remarkable amount of noise coming from the confines of the park. There was laughter from teens and kids alike as they mingled, the grinding of metal on metal, the skidding crunch of a sudden halt or two, and the more frequent sound of a body crashing to the ground. The latter made her smirk slightly and even had her looking up. As she did so her eyes widened. She didn't know why but seeing all these faces and not a one being a girl somehow frightened her. It wasn't that she feared the brutality or even the unceremonious flirting that they loved to do, more so she was afraid to face their jeers. Girls were obviously more catty then guys and maybe that's why when guys acted as such it hurt ten times worse. Or maybe it was the simple fact that she was used to be being treated poorly by girls thanks to her mom. All she knew was that she no longer wished to be where she was.

As she mentally spazzed she swore she heard her name said between a pair of boys who where looking strangely over at her. She was frozen all the while. But it was nothing. After a moment they turned away from her and went back to skating the day away.

After they'd moved on she calmed in an instant. Only she ended up wishing she had not. The calmer she grew the more consumed she became with what her life was turning into and she hated it. She hated how life still went on while she sat here, nothing more then old worn clothes on, freezing her ass off. All she wanted was to know that somewhere beyond the ridges of her mind and fake perfect life someone else was hurting too. Not hurting for themselves, but because they knew the true her and only wanted to see her smile. She scoffed at the very notion of smiling now as she stared out at the setting sun. They'd all be leaving soon. Darkness would fall and they'd scatter like bugs because if there was one thing no one wanted to be in it was darkness. For within its depths lied uncertainties and horrible truths which humans were unwilling to face on their own, unless, of course, they had someone to fight with them. Unfortunately Courtney was not one who had the privilege of this advantage. She was utterly alone as the light disappeared.

Darkness had settled now, crickets feeling safe enough to come out and chirp, stars shining brightly alongside the full moon, wind gently blowing the leaves on the trees and grass beneath her feet as she remained motionless. No longer did the sounds of the skate park reach her, as she predicted, they'd vanished, only a street light nearby casting a glow enough to give her visible proof of this. Everything was at peace. Everything but the girl hidden in shadows.

Suddenly there was a stir of movement to her far right and her head shot up instantly. Her eyes were wide, but strangely void of any emotion. She had merely been startled, heart skipping a beat. All in all she was oddly composed to be all alone at night when creepers slunk about, especially after having heard an unnatural sound.

"If it isn't the princess herself." a voice said snidely from the same direction of the disturbance.

Courtney didn't even have to look up to know who she was speaking to, she just parted her lips and let the words fall into place, "Duncan. Not now." she ran her fingers through her matted hair, closing her eyes to him as if it would somehow make him vanish like all the other miscreants had.

He snorted. "Someone's in a bad mood." he chortled, happier then Courtney imagined a person could be only a day after a breakdown as he had had.

Courtney's jerked her gaze up from the ground over to the delinquent hidden by the same shadows as she was, sending daggers at him with the intensity in her eyes. "I. Said. Don't." she growled through clenched teeth, mimicking her mothers tactic of slicing through defenses by making each word its own sentence in hopes of getting the point across that this was no game.

Duncan frowned as he stepped out into the light of the lamp a few feet away. "Easy." he said like one would say to a horse who was going a little to fast.

His tone angered Courtney further, sparking a fire within her that she fought off on a daily basis. Only this time she didn't bother. "Don't talk to me like I'm a horse!" she snapped, face set in a mixture of fury and hurt as she burned a hole through Duncan. Her only weakness in the moment was her fragile state of mind and, more so, Duncan himself. The way his green mohawk and loose strands of jet black hair swayed gently in the wind, teal eyes shined in the light of the lamp, and face looked just dirty and ruffed up enough to be charming instead of revolting made her suck in a sharp breath.

Duncan narrowed his eyes slightly, not liking the tone she was taking with him. It wasn't that he wasn't used to her hating him, it was just that not being at school made him feel like it should be different between them for when he wasn't there he didn't feel an overwhelming need to show his dominance. When he was out away from the place where people were forced into cliques the moment they entered the God forsaken building he felt free. He wanted to believe that everyone else felt the same as well. Unfortunately, Courtney included, not a lot of others held this belief. He growled under his breath. "I wasn't." he grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets and moving closer.

Courtney watched him carefully, making sure to not let a single one of his moves escape her. He could not be trusted. "Bullshit." she hissed, venom dripping from her words.

He halted as he came over just behind her, drawing his hands from his pockets to place them firmly on the bench backrest on both sides of her. "I was just poking fun." he shrugged, knowing full well that she did not see the movement.

She didn't let on that she was watching him all the while, peering suspiciously out of the corner of her eye at the youth who she never believed would stand so close to her without putting her down.

He lifted his head up to the sky, closing his eyes and letting the rising wind blow through his hair and bring him the comfort he needed on a daily basis. He loved how nature could always do that. "Nothing personal." he said after a moment.

Courtney dared to tilt her head back a smidgen, catching a glint in his now slightly opened eyes. She liked that look. It was daring yet soothing all the while. She didn't se that often in a guy, they were either daring and evil or soothing and pathetic. The only other guy she'd seen such a spark in was Zane. Ironically the two were best friends. She visibly cringed at the thought. She missed him so. If only she could take back the words from a week ago so that they would still be close.

Duncan easily noticed her change in facial expression due to his uncanny ability to pick up on micro expressions. It was why he could win a fight with ease and he came out unscathed nine times out of ten. It was one thing he took pride in in and out of school, one of the few things. "What's wrong?" he said automatically, not liking the pained look playing across her flawless face.

Courtney started slightly, surprised by his concern, especially considering how genuine it sounded to her ears. "W-What…?" she murmured, lowering her head back down so that she no longer saw him hovering over her.

Duncan looked away from her, shifting slightly due to how uncomfortable openly showing emotion made him feel. "Something is upsetting you." he repeated in different words.

Courtney stiffened, gluing her eyes on a tree across the road which she really couldn't see all too well. It was just an easy excuse if he were to ask her what was more important than paying attention to him. "No." she muttered with an edge. "I'm fine." she lied through her teeth.

He rolled his eyes at her resistance. "Liar."

She cringed worse then before, clenching her hands into tight fists as she struggled to keep her cool as her lip trembled badly. She loathed being called a select number of things, one being a liar. It wracked her down to her very core no matter if it was true or false. "No." she shook her head in the negative, voice shaking. "No, it's not…"

Duncan being as perceptive as he was once again sensed that this was a lie. However this time he tried a different approach. It was something his mother used on him whenever he was feeling particularly stubborn to her concerns. Reverse psychology. "Fine." he shrugged slightly. "It doesn't matter."

Courtney's eyes widened considerably. "How can you say that?" she whispered weakly.

Duncan swallowed hard, thinking back to the day before when she had said something extremely similar to this about him and his episode. He didn't hold it against her, she didn't understand, but it still made him hold his breath and his heart ache. Just because you don't get something doesn't mean it's ok to say it is insignificant. "Why not?" he went on. "If nothing is wrong then why should it matter?" he watched her body language vigilantly then, not wanting to miss the slightest sign of her bending one way or the other.

Courtney bit down on her lip, holding back the pain that filled her as best she could. For how was she to say what was on her mind? She could not. Not to this delinquent. She didn't care that he had obvious problems as she did, they weren't the same and she was sure he'd end up spilling all her secrets to the school as some sick twisted form of revenge. She couldn't risk it. She shook her head violently from side to side. "You don't understand!" she cried.

Duncan moved a hand from the bench to rest gently on her shoulder. The contact was something he was not well versed in and as such he found himself holding his breath. The only physical contact he ever made was with Zane on those occasional off days and his mom whenever she felt like it. But never had he really had to initiate the contact when he was of good state of mind. "I'm sure I do more then you know." he said it with strife, recalling bitter memories that he quickly pushed back beneath the surface.

Courtney trembled beneath his touch, not sure that this was real or a part of her vivid imagination. The Duncan she knew would never act so considerate. There was no way this was happening! But…if it was…then, what was it that bound him to her in this moment? "No!" she screamed, jumping up from her place on the bench and swirling around to face him. She had a panicky look about her, eyes wide with tears lacing them, mouth curved sharply down as her lips trembled much like her hands. "I won't tell you anything! You'll laugh! Turn it against me somehow!" she choked back sobs as she ranted. "It's the way you are! The way you'll always be!"

Duncan was taken aback by her quickness to jump to conclusions. Was this her real reason behind being so resistant? Did it have nothing to do with the severity of her heartache? Only that he was him she refused to open up to him. It stung, rattling him deep down to the core. Typical. No one trusted him. Few had a valid reason either, they were all simply like her in believing he was bent on crushing them at any given moment. Did no one, not even her, see that there were some things he could be serious about and knew better then to use to screw them over? He grit his teeth hard, grinding them. "You know what?" he snapped. "Fine! Screw this!" his shook with a mixture of anger and hurt. "Why do I even bother?" he threw his hands into the air. "I should know by now nothing I do matters! No one wants my help no matter how willing I am to give it! So just screw you!" he hadn't meant to say all that out loud. It just happened. Yet he only regretted the last sentence. As such he turned himself around so that he didn't have to look at her devastated face for more then a fraction of a second. Still, despite his preventive measures he couldn't help but see, from the corner of his eye, her crumple.

Her knees shook for a moment before they buckled underneath her and she was on her knees on the wet grass. It soaked through her pants, sending a shiver up her spine which she tried to counter by wrapping her arms about herself. It did no good as she continued to shake, but not from the cold, it was due to her own pitiful emotions which she failed to control any more.

Duncan bit his lip, looking anywhere but at her. He could not ask for a better time to have a distraction. However, just like always, there was nothing good enough to keep him from listening to her choked sobs. He hated it, just like he'd hated it that day after he ruined her life. There was just something about her that ate away at his very being, something he didn't think he'd ever fully understand. The only thing clear to him at this point was that he wanted, no, needed, to get her to stop her incessant crying. "Courtney…" he said softly, rubbing his foot around in circles on the ground. Although all the while his expression remained stone cold, as if this fact alone would excuse his inexplicable weakness.

She didn't pay him any mind, wrapped up in her own world of agony. The only thought passing through her head of Duncan now was that she wanted him gone. Now! She couldn't take another torturous minute of his hate or, worst of all, his compassion. Kindness only heightened her pain seeing as she was unable to handle it without hurting him in return. And hurting him for doing good made her feel like the bad guy.

Duncan waited for her to say anything, even the tiniest of words. When she showed no signs of doing so he padded slowly over to her, lowering himself down to her height with unbelievable uncertainty, his heart pounding in his ears. "Don't…" he trailed off, moving a hand up in the air above her shoulder but not touching her. He preferred not to see her lash out as she'd instinctively done before.

Courtney felt the warmth spewing from his hand without him even touching her. It was a feeling she wished to feel on a daily basis, something she never had because she was no cheerleader. She did not wear layers of make-up or spend hours on her hair, and she most certainly didn't wear those skimpy skirts and shirts that revealed far too much. And perhaps the predominant factor in it all was her figure. Her waist wasn't thin enough, body didn't curve the right way, breasts weren't big enough, and butt didn't stand out either. The only thing she had was her smarts, and to most that was more of a turn off then anything, at least for the hot guys. It was this yearning to have someone to call her own, even for a moment, that kept her from shying away. Her only movement was her shaking from sadness.

Duncan saw that she was at least willing to remain still and pressed his luck further, much further. Although he did not know why. He wanted her to cease crying, that was a given, but there was more to it. Despite all the logic in the world he did not understand his intense desire to wrap his arms around the shattered image of this perfect girl. She looked cold though. He sensed she needed warmth, but not only that. He saw that she too desired the contact all of a sudden. So, he told himself, in order to fulfill her wish he would do it. He refused to accept the fact that just maybe he wanted to do it for himself, that he had connected with her due to her hidden turmoil that appeared so alike to his own. With that final thought he slowly scooted himself closer, wrapping his large arms around her tiny waist and let his head linger a few inches above her shoulder, his breath tickling her skin.

Courtney was made breathless by his bold move, unable to protest, unwilling to move away. For as much as she loathed his very being, here in this moment of time things were strangely different. He wasn't the same ruthless creep who was set on both making her miserable at every turn while shielding her from anyone else's wrath. He was almost human. "D-Duncan…" she whispered hoarsely.

He breathed in her scent, that of tangerines, the smell relaxing him. "Something wrong?" he murmured in her ear, nearly the same words as at the start of her bitterness.

She parted her lips to tell him the truth, all of it, about how her home life was hell, how she missed Zane and wished he'd look at her again, and even how Duncan himself made her miserable, but halfway through the action she froze. She was unable to ruin this, especially with her last gripe. She knew how hard it would hit him no matter his feelings toward her because right now things were, as she said before, different. They could easily pass as other people entirely. "No…" she finally managed, tears slowing dramatically and sobs dissipating. "Not anymore." she added without thinking, allowing her eyes to fall shut so she could better feel all the little things. As she predicted she felt it all ten times more then with her eyes open. She felt Duncan's warm hands squeeze her ever so slightly once and a while, his breath run down her neck with more intensity, she even realized that he had his head resting lightly up against the side of hers for some reason or another when before she was sure it hadn't been there. No matter how different all these little acts were from each other all completed the same role. Each brought her unimaginable comfort and warmth, so much that she completely forgot that mere moments before she had been freezing and choking out sobs. She didn't even remember her mother's betrayal. Her mind was a blank.

Duncan watched as her face lost its tenseness, eyes falling shut with ease. And he watched it closely. He saw what others wouldn't in a million years as well. He noticed the corners of her mouth turn up a smidgen, her tightened fists unfurl, body grow slack, breath even out, and overall demeanor grow less heated and bitter to turn into what he could only describe as bliss. The only problem with this scene for him was that he was the one causing the change and not just an innocent bystander. He created this sense of peace for the fragile girl, picked up the pieces of her heart so to speak, and she was in **his **arms. It was all him. And he didn't know how to handle it. All he could do was remain nearly motionless, holding Courtney loosely as the chill night air crept up on them, leaving him to fend it off, to keep her warm and secure. He didn't have to. He just did. And he didn't know why.

**Aww, their first connection. Isn't it adorable? But does he love her? Or was it nothing more then a moment of weakness? You may never know! *evil laugh* Plz review! :D**


	10. His Fault

**I'm not head over heels in love with this one. Probably because it lacks the same emotional tug the past two have had. *shrug* Idk. I just hope you enjoy. :)**

The rest of the weekend was a blur to her. No matter what she did or what her mother said she didn't really register it. She simply nodded of murmured a simple 'uh huh' before going back to whatever she'd been doing. She had no way to describe it other then she was in shock. That night with Duncan had knocked her off kilter. It was hard for her to say that it had been real, but even harder to tell herself that it had been nothing more then a dream because in a way she wanted it to have happened. If it hadn't would that not make her crazy? Lovesick even? She was not sure. All she knew was that she could not keep him out of her head. When she worked on her homework she'd wind up doodling his face or get sucked deep into thought over how he kept his hair like it was. It was unnatural. What was worse was that in the blink of an eye she was back to school again and it was Wednesday, over a week since their 'moment'. She didn't understand how so much time slipped away from her without her knowledge. All that she was certain of was that the day was what it said on the board of her first period Spanish class, the eighteenth. And she supposed that was enough.

"Sup Princess." Duncan's cocky voice reached her as he walked back to her row and took the seat next to her, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

Courtney sighed heavily, laying her head in her hand as she looked the opposite direction of the punk. At some point during the last week he had adopted a new name for her. No longer was she 'girl' neither was she 'stupid' nor 'hey you'. Now she was formally known as 'Princess' or, on rare occasions to show he owned her, 'mine'. She wasn't sure which she preferred, they were both God awful nicknames which she wished desperately to ditch for the name she was given at birth. "Duncan." she murmured. "We've been through this. I do have a name, and it's-" she was cut off by his laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I know Princ-Ah!" he chuckled, bringing a hand to his head as if to scold himself. "Sorry." he shrugged. "I always forget." he smiled devilishly.

Courtney rolled her eyes, knowing full well that he was speaking a load of crap. He did it on purpose for the sole reason that she hated it as much as all her other previous names. Granted she was mildly pleased that it was more endearing then her other names, but it wasn't enough to keep her from growing annoyed by him. "Whatever Einstein."

Duncan chortled. "Now who's giving out nicknames?" he teased, poking her in the side.

Courtney tried to keep her composure, but ultimately failed as a tiny smile found its way onto her lips. "Duncan." she whispered, pushing at his hand to get him to cease his act. "Stop." her voice held a laugh like edge, the perfect incentive for Duncan to disobey her.

Duncan's smirk grew wider as he brought both hands over to her and began to tickle her as his mother had done to him when he was young. He never much liked the feeling after it was over, but that was the point in this case. He'd get to enjoy her laughter as well as her annoyance. After all, it was all about pissing her off. "What's the matter?" he chided. "What're you laughing at? Is something funny?"

Courtney was laughing hysterically now, struggling to pull his hands from around her all the while. "S-Stop it!" she cried, tears forming in her emerald eyes from the extended period of laughing. "D-Duncan!" she whined unconvincingly.

"What?" he perked, snickering. "Is something the matter?"

Courtney nearly fell out of her chair then, only being saved by Duncan's insanely fast reflexes. She was so shocked by the speed at which the moment passed that she caught her breath, eyes wide as he stared down at her with his tantalizing teal eyes. He was so close…so close. She said this repeatedly as she fought to level out her breathing.

Duncan blinked a couple of times, mostly unfazed by the event. He didn't care that he was now cradling her head in is hand and had her around the waist with the other. He'd been this close with many girls in the past, much closer in fact. The only thing awkward was that he could see how embarrassed she was with the situation. It was like he was reading a book that said in print 'what the fuck just happened and why is he not letting me go? He doesn't have to hold me like this anymore! Why won't he put me down?' He snorted lightly at her hidden wishes, rising her up to her feet again and letting her seat herself.

Courtney brushed herself off even though she had not touched the floor. She wanted to make sure she didn't have anything on her clean clothes, including dirt from the punk next to her. She glared at him as she went to seat herself. Why didn't he let her fall? At the start of school it had been a part of the game to watch her fall flat on her butt. She shook her head. He was seriously sick in the head after Saturday night.

Duncan reseated himself shortly after her, noticing that the majority of the class was just starting to file in. At least he could say he hadn't ruined her day from letting all these people witness their predicament. He snorted lightly at himself, turning his gaze on the girl at his side. He frowned as he saw her death gaze zoned in on him. "What?" he said plainly, not expecting the answer he got back.

Courtney mulled it over for no more then a minute before deciding that she was well within her rights to act out. She'd hesitated upon noticing that a ton of kids were swarming in now, but it still wasn't enough to hold her back. She slowly raised her hand from her lap, mouth becoming a flat line, before she let her hand go and slapped him right across the face.

The impact made a loud smack that one only needed to hear to know the damage. Duncan's face was bright red, stinging with the direct hit, eyes wide in shock, pupils dilated to the extreme. He didn't know what to say to this, he could barely move, only able to bring a hand slowly up to touch his burning cheek. Normally he would have seen the early signs of acting out like this, but he had not. Why? What was wrong with him? He'd noticed the hate she held in her eyes. So why was he blind to her impending action? It was then he found his voice. "What the hell?" he spat. "Why'd you go and do that for?"

As she stared him down, eyes narrowed and breathing slightly above normal from the rush, she couldn't help but get a sick thrill out of the contact. Not even reminding herself of turning into her mother worked. All she thought of was how much she wanted to do it again. Her hand hurt though. She looked down at it as it ached. It was redder than Duncan's face. She looked back up at him coldly. She still had her other hand. Perhaps she could use it. "Why?" she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You were being an ass! I told you to knock it off and you didn't listen!"

Duncan saw it plainly this time. Her eyes glinted with power, a power he strove to overcome every day of his life. The only comfort in this situation was that she was a girl, a junior girl no less. She was no match for him on even his worst days. If she tried anything more he'd string her out on a pole and leave her to think about her insanity. "So!" he sputtered. "Since when does that give you the right to hit me!"

Courtney held his intense gaze a moment more before she no longer felt the will and jerked her eyes away from his. Her initial rush was fading and she could no longer find the desire to hurt him. Now all that was left was an immense amount of irrepressible guilt. "I…" she trailed off, feeling the equivalent of a microscopic bug underneath his powerful gaze.

"You what?" he hissed, not intending on giving up until he pried some sort of reason from her. He didn't care how lame it sounded, he merely wanted something to wrap his hands around.

She sighed irritably. "I don't know ok!" she shook her head back and forth slightly. "I just got mad…" _She's just upset. _Her father's words came to her. It was how he described her mother's random fits. She cringed at the thought.

He snorted. "Whatever Courtney." he grumbled.

Courtney's eyes shot open and she jerked herself up straight. "W-What…?" she breathed. "What did you say?"

Duncan looked lazily at her, eyes duller then they'd been at the start. "Whatever." he said slowly, eyeing her suspiciously. "Sorry that that's so confusing." he half joked.

"No. No." she shook her head. "Not **that**." she licked her lips, pausing. "You…you said my name." she said in disbelief, smiling slightly.

Duncan blinked a couple of times at her. "And?" he didn't understand how this was bringing her so much joy. Not that he was complaining. He liked her better when she was happy rather then full on crazy bitch mode. Sure he liked the in between mode best, that was a given, he was just glad she was simmering down.

Courtney shrugged. "I don't know. It just kinda makes me happy is all." she muttered without thinking. She barely registered the fact that it was Duncan she was talking to at this point. She was that happy with having her name uttered by him.

Duncan frowned at her strange feelings. "If you say so." he grumbled, looking away from her to the front of the room where the teacher was moments away from opening her mouth and talking an hour of his life away. She was only waiting for the bell.

Courtney stared at him a moment more before turning her gaze to the front as well. "Well I do." she whispered so softly only she heard. "I really do."

Neither spoke a word to the other for the rest of the class, vaguely aware that the other was occasionally stealing glances at them. Duncan could tell because the hair on the back of his neck would stand up and he heard her papers shuffle as she struggled to be stealthy about it. It was harder for Courtney to tell, only catching him doing it twice when their eyes met. They'd been quick to jerk their gazes away from each other then so that they did not appear guilty of spying on the other's expression. After that Courtney could only say she knew he was acting as she was. There was no tangible proof, but she didn't need it. Her instinct was enough.

The bell rang as it always did, bringing them to their feet in an instant. They were ready to get away from each other this time around. After such an uncomfortable class they'd have done just about anything to accomplish this. "Oh, uh, sorry." they said in unison as Courtney tried her best to get around him to no avail.

She sighed. "Stop moving." she ordered him.

He stopped in his place before her, giving her ample time to slip by him and out of the scrunched up space of the back of the room. "Bye…" he muttered with little care of whether she heard or not. Besides, she'd be forced to see him again when fourth period came around. And by then he'd have gotten over all of this and be back to picking away at her. He smiled softly, chuckling at the mere notion. He was so content with this being the norm that he didn't even ask himself why he was so happy with it. He just walked himself out the door and to his next class, Social Studies.

Courtney only half expected things to go her way in second and as such wasn't surprised when Brittany the brat went at her like a ravenous wolf would a bloody corpse. Of course she was used to her insults by now anyway. It didn't matter one bit that she was called every derogatory term under the sun. All she had to do was imagine that first day where Duncan had shot Brittany down and then, with a mite bit of unease, that Friday when he'd been an inch from killing her and she felt better. It gave her the power to ignore her and the buzzing that was her mouth.

Duncan on the other hand was not subject to any sort of torment. He was perfectly at ease, hands behind his head as he leaned back against a storage closest directly behind him and talked the whole class away with Zane. As he did this though he couldn't help but realize that if Courtney were here she would be reprimanding them for being so incredibly gross. It made him smile wanly, distracting him from the conversation ever so slightly.

Zane noticed. "Alright." he sighed. "What is it?"

Duncan perked. "What's what?" he feigned innocence.

Zane rolled his eyes. "You didn't react in the least when I said that I could beat you any day at skating. I **know** that you're lying."

Duncan shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, ok." he paused to glance around himself. "I was just thinking about that stupid girl. She hates when we talk about this stuff."

Zane frowned, tapping his fingers against the desk rhythmically as he waited, expecting more. Upon realizing that there was nothing more to this tale he blinked twice, confusion etched on his face, "That's all?"

Duncan was quiet a minute, rolling his shoulders and popping them before opening his mouth. "Yeah. I guess so."

Zane snorted, suppressing laughter. "Since when did you care about anything to do with her? I mean I get you and your superiority complex being what gets you to protect her from anyone who so much as looks at her. But what's this all about?" he snickered. "Do you like her or something?" he poked fun.

Duncan's face drained of color, eyes wide. "Are you crazy!" he spat a little too loud, drawing the eyes of the rest of the class for a moment in time. Once they'd all averted their gazes he turned his attention back to Zane and went on, "She's your thing dude." he hissed indifferently, calm tone returning to its place in his voice. "And besides." a pause. "You know I don't go for the stuck up smart girls. I'm all about the cheerleader type." he snickered. "They're the only ones dumb enough to sleep with me thinking I won't ditch them in a heartbeat for someone else. It's as simple as that." he crossed his arms over his chest, a smugness finding its way onto his features.

Zane smirked right back at him. "Ok, dude. I don't doubt you cause, like you said, I know you. I just wanted to see how worked up I could get you?" he chuckled, broad grin present now.

Duncan's smugness fell away to reveal a look of disbelief. "You ass." he growled, pushing at Zane's head as a playful way of getting him back.

Zane pushed right back, making them a tangle of limbs by the time they were called out for their disruptive behavior.

"Zane! Duncan!" the teacher snapped, staring them down with intensity. "Would you like a one way ticket out of here?"

Duncan jumped on this opportunity with open arms. "You bet! Where we goin'?" he chided, grinning from ear to ear as he untangled himself from Zane. "Cause boy do I need a break! Nothing to fancy is necessary of course." he said with a firm nod. " Florida or California maybe, but Hawaii would definitely be too much." he could've went on all day, but stopped short as he saw the teachers face reddening. He didn't need to push to far otherwise she'd learn how to handle him and be able to measure his limits. And he would not have that! "So?"

She gripped her fists tight, smiling falsely. "It's a surprise." she hissed.

Duncan knew what she was trying to do, willingly walking into her trap. "Ok!" he cried. Everyone stared at him wide eyed. "Shall we then?" he mused.

Zane too was caught off guard. Duncan wasn't so stupid. He knew what following her would do. Just in case though he grabbed onto his friends wrist. "Duncan." he hissed. "What are you doing?"

Duncan chuckled. "Don't worry." he leaned done to whisper the plan into his ear. "I have to give her a false sense of confidence. You know, let her win a few. That way she'll get cocky and brag about her brilliance to all the other sucker teachers. They'll hold her highly, but then one day she won't win." he paused to gather his breath. "Then it'll be a blast when she realizes that I'm much harder to handle and she isn't queen of the world."

Zane snorted lightly, feeling stupid for having doubted Duncan. "Only you would do something so convoluted." he chortled.

Duncan raised into a standing position, flashing a devious smirk. "Naturally." he took his eyes away from Zane. "Besides…" his voice was blissful. "I miss missing school." He then trotted to the front of the room to meet the teacher. "Sup."

The teacher stared blankly at the child. She didn't believe this was the same one she had been warned of early on. His smile was too genuine to be fake, his eyes so bright. Was he really that good? She rolled her eyes at her useless thoughts. "Whatever kid. It's your record." she didn't want to escort him but it was basically a part of the handbook rules at this point. Any time Duncan was sent to detention he was to be brought so that he didn't have as high of a chance of skipping out. So with a sigh she turned about without even looking to see if he followed. She was only lucky that for once he did as he said he would.

He moved at a pace a little slower then her, glancing back an instant before he disappeared from view to wave at all in the room, particularly Zane. It was also his infamous signal that for the next ten minutes it was a free for all, anything went while no higher power was present.

It was only as he drew within a few feet of the office that he fully realized what this punishment entailed. He scolded himself. Now he would not see Courtney, he would miss out on all the torturing he had so looked forward to. He sighed softly, entering the office and hating himself for being the smartass that he was. If only he had half the brain of Courtney, then he would have known better then to egg the teacher on. Maybe…

He sat twiddling his thumbs in a seat in the office long after the bell rang to indicate third periods start. He was quite sure that any minute the bell would ring to signal the end of it as well. He hit his head back against the wall repeatedly as some real punishment. What the hell were all the employees doing anyway? He should have been dealt with long before now! He knew how all this was supposed to work, he'd been through it millions of times. Did someone die or something? He cringed as the thought hit him, feeling bad about it immediately regardless of the fact it concerned people he cared little for. That wasn't the point. The point was that dying wasn't funny. It was one of the worst fates imaginable, especially when it involved the young.

It was impossible for Courtney to keep calm like she had all of second. It wasn't because of the nagging, for there was none in third, it was the simple fact that Zane was in this class. She hadn't spoken a word to him in nearly three weeks. So any time she was in close proximity to him she found it impossible to keep her cool. It was pathetic, yeah, but what was she to do about it? She wanted to say she was sorry, that it had been a mistake, and that she hadn't meant a word of it, but it just wasn't that simple.

Zane made sure to keep to his side of the room, as far from Courtney as possible. Most people probably got the impression that he was mad at her because of this. But this was simply not so! More than anything he wanted to be able to go over and sit with her again after such an extended period of silence and just talk. Only he couldn't. He'd said he'd leave her alone and so he would. When she was ready she would say so. He frowned, lowering his gaze to the floor. If only it was that simple.

Courtney sighed heavily, playing footsie with herself to pass the time as well as distract her from her thoughts. She didn't want to be thinking of Zane, she didn't want to be thinking at all. All she wanted was to pass out for as long as it took to get him to talk again. She groaned under her breath, massaging her temples methodically. This distress was giving her quite a headache. She needed to come to some sort of a decision before it got worse. But how? It was either beg him for forgiveness or leave things as they were. Not many options. "That's it!" she screamed, everyone's eyes darting to her. She swallowed hard, drawing her agenda out of her binder. "I need to see the nurse." she growled as if this excused her outburst, striding over to the teachers desk and slapping the book down hard in front of her. "Sign it." she snapped.

The teacher stared up at her like she was crazy, having not expected such demands from Courtney. Still she wordlessly did as she was asked and signed a slot before handing it back to Courtney.

Courtney nodded with appreciation, fleeing the room in a heartbeat. But she didn't go far. She went around one corner, out of sight of the room, and sunk to the floor. She hadn't really wanted the nurse, just a means to escape. She sighed heavily, lifting her head up so that she was looking at the ceiling before she closed her eyes. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel the need to avoid Zane, this boy who had been her saving grace? She was being a coward. Then something struck her. Zane had said something once about Duncan hating cowards. She crinkled up her nose. What? Where did that come from? Why was she thinking about that delinquent? She shrugged her shoulders, pushing him back into the farthest corner of her mind. Right now she needed to focus on Zane and how she was going to get him back! She sighed heavily, going over possible scenarios. She could say hi first. No! To plain. She could wave him over before saying his name. Nu-uh! Maybe she would just launch right into it then. She shook her head. This was hopeless. Nothing seemed to fit right. It wasn't perfect. She felt like a fool just imagining herself going through the actions. It didn't help that she was flushing with embarrassment all the while. "God help me." She murmured to herself.

"Sorry. No such luck darling." The familiar voice of Duncan said in response.

Courtney's eyes shot open instantly, her jumping in her skin out of surprise. "What the-" she started, stopping and starting again with a different approach. "Why are you here!"

Duncan chuckled, hands dug deep in his pockets as he offered a shrug. "Dunno. But I'd like to know the same from you." Courtney opened her mouth to snap back, him stopping her with a wag of his finger as he pulled his hand from his jeans. "Not that I'm going to bother asking though."

Courtney snorted. "Well good!" she snapped. "Cause I won't tell you!" she nodded firmly.

Duncan rolled his eyes at her attitude. "Whatever." He paused, looking back over his shoulder as if at any given moment someone would spring out to drag him off. "I was just passing by anyway."

"Really?" she hissed, eyes narrowing. "And what teacher in their right mind would let you out of their sight?"

He grinned wide. "As many as you think." He laughed at himself. "I just didn't feel like hanging around anymore."

Courtney was appalled by the very notion. "Ah! That's awful!" she jumped to her feet, getting within inches of his face. "If you go around disregarding the rules you'll get worse then detention some day!" she scolded him like a mother would their child, face set hard.

"Chill, Princess. I'm going back." he waved his hand in nonchalance. "It's not like there's anything to do there anyway."

Courtney frowned. "Wait...you're not in detention **already**, are you?" she murmured incredulously.

He grinned sheepishly. "Nah. Of course not. Who do you think I am?"

"Exactly." she growled in disbelief. "You amaze me I swear." she did a face palm.

"It's not **my** fault. The teacher didn't have a sense of humor." he lamely defended himself. "But that's nothing compared to the office." he shook his head. "They can't do anything right in there. I got restless!"

She rolled her eyes as well as crossed her arms over her chest. "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that I swear I'd be rich."

"I bet you're rich anyway." he smirked, backing up a step so that they weren't feeling the others breath.

Courtney blinked twice. She didn't quite know what to say to this. It wasn't like she could deny it, but she wasn't going to agree either. "So what if I am?" she growled.

His smug smirk grew. "Then you'll be everything that I thought you were." In a sense it what he meant to say, but at the same time it was a slip of the tongue. The only thing that kept him from losing his amusement was that she obviously thought the same by the way her mouth fell open slightly, face etched with confusion. He snickered lightly to himself, turning away from her before he too gave away his thoughts by the look on his face. He hadn't even intended to go back to the office, rather he wished to skip, but in the end he found himself heading back there as he said he would. "See ya." he waved without looking back. He didn't want her to have the opportunity to call him back or ask where he was going. He didn't want to tell the truth, that it was all because of her.

Courtney watched him go until he disappeared around the corner and she snapped out of her trance, shaking her head violently back and forth. She needed to go back to class. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, it read 11:08. "Shit." she breathed. She hadn't realized she'd asked to leave so late. She didn't have any time left to torture herself with thoughts of Zane or possibilities of asking forgiveness. She needed to get back to class. Then, she decided in the blink of an eye, she would do what she had to. Yes! She would talk to Zane. She started to walk at a fast pace as she gathered details. She'd get his attention as the bell rang and get him to look her dead in the eye before she admitted she couldn't take this any more. In doing so she would also alleviate the pressure placed on her heart and mind. She breathed a sigh of relief just thinking about it, entering the class with much more grace then when she'd left.

She stood for a moment in the doorway, surveying the class. Since there was only a minute to spare most everyone either had their head down or was scooting to the edge of their seats in preparation to fly out of one hell to another. At least, she figured this was their thought process. School wasn't hell for her, more so a reprieve. She cringed as he gaze fell on Zane, one of the only people doing something else. He was staring blankly off into space, deep in thought about something or another. Courtney tried to get him to see her there, but it did no good. He was bent on doing to her as she had done to him. "Zane…" she breathed softly to herself, the bell drowning it out along with the sudden rush of hundreds of feet running from all the classes into the adjoining hall.

She was quick to hop out of the way, lingering in the room so she could meet up with Zane. He was being a bit slow and she found herself frowning with impatience.

Zane noticed Courtney was loitering in the room, perhaps waiting for him, but he pretended not to. He acted the way he'd done for the past three weeks, indifferent and like she was invisible. Not even as she said his name and reached out toward him did he look up, he just kept on walking.

Courtney stared dumfounded after him. He just left. Zane walked out without acknowledging her. **Her**! Courtney's mouth twitched, eyes narrowed into slits. "No one ignores Courtney Manning." she shook her head. "**No** one!" she stomped her foot, making a beeline in the direction she knew he was headed. She wasn't about to hesitate now. Momma didn't raise no quitter! After losing once it was all over for her opponent. All over. Because she was incapable of failing twice in a row. "Zane!" she yelled from across the hall.

He perked out of instinct, quickly working to hide his peek of interest. "No.." he told himself. He had to remain unresponsive to her. Besides, he kind of wanted to see her get mad at him again. Yes, he'd missed her that much.

A low growl erupted from her throat. She quickened her pace, closing in on him just outside the door. "Zane!" she snapped, grabbing on to his wrist and dragged him away toward the lockers with no care at all whether he minded. "Stop being a douche!"

Zane peered up from the floor which he had been so interested in as he walked toward class. "What are you talking about?" he said innocently.

"Oh don't even try to play dumb with me!" she sighed heavily, pinning him by the shoulders against the locker. "I **know** you saw me back there! You just ignored me!"

He shrugged. "I didn't see you." he lied through his teeth, hiding a smile.

"Drop the act!" she snarled, eyes blazing as she pressed harder.

The pressure she exerted didn't bother him at all, it was actually kind of nice, so he didn't complain. He let her think she was dominating over him, knowing that if he really needed to he could break away. "What would I stand to gain from annoying you?"

"Everything! Otherwise you wouldn't have done it for three straight weeks!" pain was evident in her tone no matter how hard she'd tried to conceal it.

He snorted. "I was only doing as you did."

Courtney started, eyes widening, mouth becoming a flat line, and shock setting in. "What?" she hissed almost inaudibly.

"I knew you were mad so I kept my distance. You should know that no one likes being yelled at." he said matter of factly.

Courtney cringed, thinking back to her mother and how much it hurt to see her yelling at her dad and then how much worse it was when it was herself. She swallowed hard. "Who says I was going to yell?" she pressed, irritated tone holding true.

"No one." it was as simple as that. No one, not even him, expected her to be hateful after her one moment of weakness.

"Then why didn't you talk to me!" she whined.

He never averted his gaze, trapped in her intense, helpless emerald eyes. "I told you. I wanted to give you space. You needed it."

"Who are to tell me what I need!" she spat, not liking how he was sounding like her mother.

He cringed slightly from her intense anger. "No one." a pause. "I'm just your friend."

"Yeah!" her anger was slipping into sadness, voice choked. "Well what kind of friend does something like that? Huh? Who would purposefully hurt their friends? I want to know?"

'You.' It's what he wanted to say. It was at the tip of his tongue, fighting to fly free and hurt the one he cherished. Only he wouldn't let it happen. He forced it back down, instead choosing a gentler approach. He had to, especially upon seeing so plainly Courtney's hurt. "Courtney…" he started gently. "I wasn't doing it to hurt you." he pulled out of her now loose hold on his shoulders to shift over to her side and reach for her hands to twist her around to face him. "I only did it because I care. I was letting you choose." he swallowed hard, not letting her hands go. "To be honest…I wasn't sure if you meant what you said. I wanted to believe you were merely mad, but it was hard to convince myself of that. I mean…some of the things you said were harsh. So instead of pressing the issue and perhaps goading you into associating yourself with me I let you be. If you really wanted to be my friend you would come back. If not…" he trailed off, frowning. "Then you would just never talk to me again." he shrugged. "it's as simple as that." only then did he release his hold on her hands, willing to let her slip away if she so desired it.

Courtney's guilt level rose higher with each word much like her awareness of time moving dropped. She felt absolutely irrevocably idiotic. Why hadn't she figured it out? Zane really was doing what was best for her. "I…" she murmured, biting her lip. "I'm sorry." she paused to take a deep breath. "I didn't mean to hurt you either. I was just upset." she cringed at the familiar words for the millionth time in her life. "Duncan…he…he's the one I should've yelled at." she admitted with extreme difficulty, not sure is she meant it now as she might have then. Things had changed. She honestly wasn't sure of much of anything at this point. "So…please…forgive me."

Zane smiled, pulling her into a warm hug. "Why wouldn't I?" he teased, breathing in her alluring scent.

She smiled then too, eyes instantly filled with life. "Thanks." she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck in return. "I missed you."

Zane was glowing, but he did not return her words. He glimpsed the time and figured it was most important. "Come on." he pulled her away from him so that he was able to look deep into her emerald eyes. "We're gonna be late." he grabbed for her hand again, pulling her along the few feet to the class.

Courtney let him drag her along, willing to do next to anything to keep him content. And things being as they were he was incredibly happy as was she herself. She was thrilled more so then she had been in forever, only one thing itching at the back of her mind as he reclaimed his seat at their table. Where was Duncan? Detention. She was willing to bet money on it. But it wasn't just that. There was something else. It was as if she were somehow betraying him as she sat and talked casually with his best friend. Without him. For an instant even she swore she heard his stone cold voice breach the air. _What happened to you needing me? _he said, and she started, suddenly short of breath.

"What's wrong?" Zane said smoothly as he rested his head in his hand, not sensing anything truly wrong, just noticing that she jumped a bit.

She slowly shook her head from side to side. "No. Nothing." And she tossed away the disconcerting thought, hoping for the peace of mind she was sure Zane's prescience would bring her to settle in. Only it never quite did. And she blamed him. It was all his fault.

**Near the end was good. But other then that I'm not a big fan of this. It's almost the equivalent of a filler aside from the end. Not saying fillers are boring, but y'know. Please review! :D**


	11. Rifts in Relationships

**This one's considerably shorter then all the others and I'm sorry for that, but it was a good ending point for this chapter. Nevertheless I enjoyed doing this very much. I hope you enjoy it as well. :)**

For the rest of the day she couldn't tear her gaze from Zane nor her mind from Duncan. She figured her mind was plagued by him by the mere fact that he was absent. He didn't show up in fourth or fifth, not even sixth. He was stuck in detention for the entire day and she wanted to beat him senseless for it. He shouldn't have been so careless! He should have watched his actions more closely. And most of all he should have thought about them. Yes, the both of them. For it was not only Zane that suffered from his absence, although he hid it just as much as she did, but she did as well. The lack of jokes and slightly hurtful taunts bugged her more then the taunts themselves. It was to quiet, to cheerful, to empty without him there. Not even the reunion of Zane filled the void, which she found to be a shame considering she'd pictured this meet up to be the thing that got her through the week and possibly the month. Seeing that it meant next to nothing, and all thanks to **him**, it really pissed her off.

However as she was leaving school she ran in to him. Unfortunately it was not the reunion she pictured because moments before she'd tripped over herself and skinned up her hands as well as garnered a nice bruise on her chin. He laughed his ass off upon seeing her, unable to hold back. "You look like you got in a fight with a weed eater!" he'd cried between laughs, holding his head as he pointed at her. She blushed furiously, hating herself for being the klutz that she was. Although she had held her tongue accordingly, stomping off and leaving him to his laughter and hopefully to feel bad for putting her down. Besides, she'd get him back tomorrow. After all, she wasn't one to accept defeat or harm to her.

The next day was no where near as perfect, which was bad since the day before hadn't been all that awesome in and of itself. She didn't think Zane would disagree with her on the former aspect either. She didn't really see what she'd done exactly, but she knew she'd messed up. It had been in first period, Zane didn't know then, and she was ready to extract her revenge. Only she had no idea how. Not until he walked through the door.

"Hey, buddy." She said with false cheer as she twisted her hands in each other, a big cheesy smile stretching across her noticeably bruised face.

He looked lazily at her, waving absently at her as he took his seat a little farther away from her.

Courtney was perplexed by this. He'd never tried to get away from her, it was only she who desired to be apart. So seeing him being the one to keep his distance was almost unnatural. It didn't help that he eyed her warily. "How are ya?" she asked, keeping her fake tone all the while.

He shrugged lightly. "Dunno." His tone was softer then usual, eyes lacking the spark that Courtney had come to know so well.

Courtney let her grin slip as she narrowed her eyes at him. What was wrong with him? It wasn't even a full day ago that he had been cackling at her for her mistakes. What could have changed? "Come on." She pressed, moving over a seat so the gap between them was as it always had been, as it always should be. "I wanna know what you did yesterday."

He grit his teeth, averting his gaze so he wouldn't fall victim to her intense eyes and be tricked into telling all. "Nothing." He grumbled.

She blinked, any trace of her supposed happiness gone. Now her face was etched with confusion, head tilted to the side. "What's with you?" she pried. "Why aren't you jumping at the chance to enlighten me of your wonderful journeys? Usually I have to fight to get you to shut up." She chuckled lightly at herself, amusement lasting no more then a blink of an eye.

He offered her yet another shrug. "What do you want me to say?" he mumbled, looking back at her sadly. "I just don't have anything going on. Zane didn't come over and I stayed inside." He sighed softly. "Can't you accept that?"

Courtney's frown deepened. "No…not really. It doesn't sound like you." She hesitated. "I kinda expected more…" she trailed off.

He scowled at her. "Well that's just too damn bad!" He barked. "Cause I don't have anything! It was a boring, uneventful day! Ok?" he sighed irritably. "So drop it."

Courtney was stunned into silence for a while, passing the time by staring intently at the side of his face and thinking of possibilities behind his behavior instead of being a good girl and paying attention to the lessons being taught in class. "Please." She half begged, tugging lightly on his arm. Although she couldn't say that she was entirely interested in his going ons. She merely couldn't tolerate being denied by this punk.

He glanced back at her for the first time in thirty minutes, miserable as ever. "No." he growled with a fierceness that didn't belong to him, pulling out of her loose grip. "Leave me alone."

She snorted. "Why? Why should I leave you alone when you never abide by my wishes in the same scenario!" she snapped, arms crossed firmly over her chest.

"Because I said to!" he bit back, eyes ablaze. "And you'll listen to me if you know what's good for you!" he was facing her straight on now, having forgotten the reason he had struggled so hard to both remain calm and not look at her.

Courtney sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide with fear. She had not expected him to snap at her like that, if anything she figured he'd get back into his groove and become the guy she was so used to mingling with. So when he did the opposite it rattled her to the core. The intensity in the depths of his eyes and anger in his frown didn't help either. She was frozen. This wasn't even taking into account his new facial mark. All around his left eye was swollen and purple, dark purple, unimaginably noticeable at this angle.

When she saw this, the picture of malice was complete, as was her plan. Sure her initial thought was to ask what the hell had happened to him, if he was all right and who did it, but upon remembering his remark from yesterday she quickly changed her tune. Her parted lips fell back shut, concerned expression transforming into a smug smirk with conniving eyes. "Nice shiner." She sneered. "What happened? Get into a fight with a weed eater?" she snickered, quoting him for what he'd said to her the previous day. Besides, what harm would it do? He was as far down as it got to her eyes and it was just innocent fun. If anyone knew that it had to be Duncan. She didn't find it possible for him to see it any other way.

Duncan's anger flared up for an instant, whole body shaking profusely as he lifted his clenched fists up. However this stage lasted but a moment. He was soon overcome with grief, bitterness, and the utmost sense of betrayal. His hands now shook from the hurt, eyes losing what little life was left, face paling, and mouth falling into a deep grimace. See? This was why he didn't tell her. This was why he'd struggled to hide it, to make sure no one knew the truth. He knew that this would happen. He knew the minute someone where to see that they'd mock him. It was just made a million times worse since it had to be her. Usually so kind and considerate she was twisted into a heinous beast who threatened to rip his heart from his chest.

Courtney was blind to his pain, only barely sensing something was more amiss then it had been at the start. She was just consumed with the fact his demeanor had not improved. Why? Why was he doing this?

Duncan struggled to hold himself together now, lip quivering noticeably as her still smug eyes pierced him. She was enjoying this. She was enjoying watching him fall apart! He emitted a low growl at the notion, tiny tears forming at the corners of his eyes. He wanted to make them disappear, wipe them away from the surface, but he didn't want her to see that he was at the brink of crying in the first place. It was a dilemma he found only one solution to. It wasn't something she or anyone else would approve of, but it was the only way. He had to escape. He had to remain strong. So in one swift movement he was up on his feet and in another instant he was out the door of the class, racing down the halls of the all to familiar landscape of the school. The only difference now was that he was blinded by the tears lacing his eyes and the walls seemed to be closing in on him the faster he ran. He felt like he was trapped in on of his infamous nightmares, only this time there was no waking up and for once he absolutely didn't want anyone to come after him. He wished that everyone would disappear, leaving him as the last remnant of the Earth, this hell. He wanted it all to end, he wanted to die. And that's why he headed straight for home. He knew if he played his cards right he just might get his wish.

Courtney was left staring blankly after him, to shocked to move and to attached to her studies to get up and follow. Whatever it was that was killing him he needed to deal with on his own anyway. If anything she'd learned this from her screw up with Zane. If he hadn't chased he out of the room she wouldn't have yelled him into silence and been back talking to him the day after. She didn't want to be one the receiving end of the brute or in this at all. She wanted to be able to go to him tomorrow and laugh at this as well as get teased some for worrying so much. She smiled wanly at the thought, but it wasn't much comfort, not since she couldn't get the image of his shattered expression from the front of her mind. And the worst part? No one noticed. No one had seen him in the class, no one realized he'd been her before the start. So the teacher merely shrugged her shoulders and marked him absent. He was sick to them, and would be back whenever. Only Courtney knew better then them. He wouldn't be back soon, maybe not ever. She merely tried her hardest to deny the fact. "He'll come later." she said with a sigh. "He's just taking a breather, skipping as usual." And for the rest of first and second it was enough to keep her sane. But upon seeing Zane her wall of comforting lies came crashing down on her.

"Zane!" she cried, waving as she trotted to their table near the back of the class and seated herself, allowing a bright smile to pass her lips. She wanted to be as cheerful as she could be for Zane.

Zane looked lazily up at her, sensing the falseness in her smile and eyes. But he didn't care much. If she wanted to pretend to be happy for whatever reason it was fine by him. He was more concerned with other matters. "Hey." he murmured, resting his head in the palm of his hand. "What's up?"

Courtney's smile slipped, eyes dulling. If he wasn't willing to be cheerful then why should she be? It was a waste of effort in her mind. She shrugged. "Same old same old. School, hell of home, you." she chuckled lightly at herself for no particular reason, laughter dying shortly after as the sullenness Zane put off took hold of her.

"What about Duncan?" Zane asked gently, eyes widening ever so slightly as his interest was peeked. It was obvious he had never had any desire to hear of Courtney's day if it left out Duncan.

Courtney was perturbed by this, but refrained from commenting on it. Instead she sighed lightly and answered. "I don't know." she shrugged. "Knowing him he could be anywhere, skipping, detention, home-"

Zane shook his head slowly. "No. No…I checked his spot where he goes when he skips and he'd **never** go home. **Never**." there was a strangled look about him, fear etched in every possible crease and curve of his otherwise normal face. "Not even if he were sick."

Courtney frowned deeply, shaking her head. "He's not sick."

Zane nodded. "I know. I saw him in the halls before first." he smiled a tiny smile.

Courtney did the same back to him, growing more and more nervous as the time passed and words spouted from his mouth. "That's good." Courtney was twisting her hands together from nerves, swallowing ever so often.

He shrugged nearly unnoticeably. "I guess so." he whispered. "I'm just kinda worried." he sighed. "He usually doesn't leave school so early after wasting the time to get here."

Courtney grimaced. "What do you mean?" she tentatively asked.

He shook his head for the umpteenth time. "Nothing. It's just…nothing." he lied through his teeth, lies eating away at him almost as much as they were Courtney. He wanted to tell her, he really did. He hated lying like this, but he promised. He swore on his mothers grave that he'd never tell a soul, and he wasn't about to go back on that. Besides, even if he hadn't done that he'd rather cut off his own limb then give away such dark secrets of his best friend. Zane losing a limb would be the equivalent of Duncan's mental torment from all those who ended up finding out and the betrayal of the only person he trusted enough to confide in.

Courtney narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to pry even though she didn't like how evasive he was being about the subject. So instead she settled on offering condolences in a sense. "What about detention?" he tone had a high pitched note in it that made it obvious she was as worried as he was, if not more. Whether he picked up on it was beyond her. "You don't know if he got there between now and then?"

Zane chuckled bitterly. "I'm pretty sure I do." he jerked his gaze away from her then, ashamed for inexplicable reasons. "You see…" he trailed off, eyes saddening further. "He wasn't in second today."

That's when it hit her, the heavy guilt and truth that she had struggled desperately to throw over her shoulder and act as if nothing was wrong. It came back in the blink of an eye and she was suddenly unable to function properly. Her breathing was restricted, eyes open as wide as they could get, mouth curved as far down as possible. "N…No…" she breathed.

Zane looked up at her, boring deep into her emerald green eyes. He plainly saw now what he'd previously been to dense to see. It was written all over her beautiful face, in her dazzling eyes, and hidden in her perfect voice. "What happened?" he growled, eyes hard, mouth drawn into a thin line. No longer was his voice sad, it was cold.

She swallowed hard. "I didn't know you had that class with him." she admitted gloomily, not elaborating further from fear of how he'd react to her hurting his friend. It didn't help that there was some dark secret the two shared. She knew that whatever it was would end up being the reason he bolted and the one thing she should never have screwed with. But the worst part was easily the fact that she already felt like shit for upsetting him, she didn't need to be reminded of how much it hurt to hurt him nor did she need a lecture on how stupid she was and that he was more hurt then she could imagine. She realized her stupidity long before and she'd seen the limitless hurt in his teal eyes. And she didn't want to think of it again.

Zane stared at her for forever before he got tired of waiting for her to go on and pried. "And? What does that matter? I didn't ask you that!" he sounded beyond harsh even to himself, but he was to scared of what she was hiding to care.

Courtney cringed, hating the desperation mingled with an edge of abhor in Zane's usually cool, collected tone. "And…now I know a hundred percent he can't be in detention." she sighed.

Zane froze. "W-What?"

She looked away from him, hoping to escape his blazing eyes. "Because…I…I have first with him."

Zane slammed his fists down on his desk. "Damn it! I don't want to hear all the reasons he can't be somewhere! I want to know **why** he isn't!"

Courtney shrunk back at the spike in volume, wanting more then anything for him to soften and not bring up this awful topic again. Sadly, see knew that this wasn't going to happen until she spilled the truth. "I…I don't really know exactly…at least….not why he cared so much about it…" she slowly peered up at him, biting her lip repeatedly all the while as a bad means to remain calm. "His eye…it was bruised."

Zane practically fell out of his chair, jumping up to his feet immediately after. "No! You didn't!" he cried, whole body language from his clenched hands to his panic-struck face telling her that he knew what she'd done and hated her for it already.

She made a low whining noise. "I didn't mean to!" she moaned. "But-But…yesterday he made fun of me for the same thing so I-I just thought…" she groaned, gripping her head. "I don't know! I wanted to get back at him."

Zane was on the verge of biting her head off, so very close indeed, until he remembered one small detail. She was unaware of Duncan's secret. She was like anyone else in this school, despite the unusually nice disposition Duncan seemed to have toward her, blissfully oblivious to it all. "Courtney." he said as calmly as he could through clenched teeth. "I need to know exactly what you said."

Courtney swallowed hard. "Nice shiner." she whispered.

Zane groaned. "No. no, no. Please tell me you didn't."

"I'm…sorry." she breathed, thoroughly ashamed. "Again." she added as an afterthought. "I didn't know it was any different then for me. I don't know him."

Zane heaved a sighed of irritation. "I know." he struggled to remain calm. "That's why I'm not mad." it was half a lie since he was completely pissed at her inconsiderate nature, but it was half true because he saw that she meant it when she said she didn't know.

Courtney smiled wanly. Although there wasn't much to smile about in her opinion. It didn't matter that he said he was ok with her actions, she knew he didn't mean it much. He'd been Duncan's friend far longer then he'd been hers so naturally he'd take his side in this scenario. It was what any sane person would do. Otherwise he'd have to be head over heels in love. She snorted at the notion. Ridiculous. Zane couldn't possibly love her. No…no way. "Ok…" she murmured, laying her head down sideways on the table. She hoped this would signify to him that she didn't want to talk about this anymore. But before she had given it time to sink in she found herself opening her mouth. "But…what is it? Why is what I did so bad…?"

Even from her side view she saw plain as day that Zane stiffened, breath caught in his throat. He didn't want to tell her and he wouldn't. It was not worth it to let her know her crime. She knew well enough without seeing the exact reason that anything similar to what she'd done was against the 'rules'. She would never ever do it again. At least Zane was hoping and praying to God that this was the case. He shook his head, unable to speak as he reseated himself.

Courtney frowned deeply. Ok. She would leave it alone. The last thing she needed was to stir him up once more. At least he wasn't yelling at her this way. She swallowed hard, lip quivering as she played this whole mess over in her head. From the moment Duncan walked into class to now, she saw it all. It pulled hard on her heart strings and threatened to push the tears forming in her emerald eyes to spill over. Only she managed to hold them back, at least for a while. Once the end of the period came around and everyone had cleared out she could bear it no longer. A whine erupted from her throat, sobs starting to surface, and finally the tears slipped from the corners of his eye down her face. And this time there was no one there to quiet them, no chance for it. Duncan was gone, Zane was gone, and no one else cared. So she wrapped her arm about herself tightly to simulate the feeling of comfort she'd had with Duncan before she picked herself up from the desk and headed straight for the lunchroom. That wasn't what she had next, but she didn't care much at this point. All she wanted was a place to blend in effortlessly with the crown. Lunch was the perfect place for such a task, always had been and always would be. It was one of those few things in life that never changed, unlike people. She grit her teeth in pain, eyes shut tight as she walked on. She only wished that one person could remain the same, no hate, no sadness, only love for her and the way she was, flaws and all. But that would never happen. It was an impossibility. For that to happen they'd have to be perfect, and no one was. No matter how much she wanted them to be.

**How was it? Was anyone out of character? Idk. You decide. This is for your entertainment as much as mine after all. I want to please the audience. :D So please review! And any mistakes would be nice to know about, pov included. :)**


	12. Seclusion

**I LOVE this one. So enjoy! :)**

As much as she'd wanted to hear all there was to tell about the mystery that was Duncan she didn't find out that day. She dropped hints every now and then that she desperately needed to know the truth, to no avail. All she got was silence and the occasional icy glare. These were limited, as she saw it, for one of two reasons. Either Zane was trying his damn best to not give her the satisfaction of acknowledgement or he didn't want her to endure any more of his insufferable acts. She, naturally, wanted to believe it was the latter, although deep down she wasn't all that sure about it. She imagined him as herself and sadly saw that she would be thinking of herself as scum as well. So she did not expect him to be forgiving, not on the inside.

But through all this turmoil they shared her mind continued to linger on one simple fact. It wasn't Zane, or her grades which were surely suffering as much as she was, it wasn't even her herself. The sole thing she was stuck on was Duncan. She couldn't help but wonder where, if not here or detention, he could possibly be. Where had he gone when he fled the class as he had? Was he as miserable as she was? Was he secretly alright? Was he hurt? Was he the one hurting himself? Or, worst of all, was he already dead…?

Duncan hadn't given a second thought to all he was leaving behind as he sped down the halls and out the double doors of the school. All he was thinking of was one God awful thing, the possibility of death. It sent a shiver down his spine even now, even when it was as inviting as it was. The comfort was nothing compared to the possibility of no longer remaining in the world of the living and it instilled an immense amount of fear in his heart. That's why, his feet beat on the solid concrete asphalt of the school parking lot, he focused all his attention on the sounds surrounding him. He closed his eyes tight, not needing this sense to find his way. He'd ran this way so many times at this point that it was as easy as waking up in the morning. All he had to do was keep vigilant count of how many steps he was taking. It was exactly 1,678 steps. He knew this well, having done it ever since he was in kindergarten. Yes kindergarten. That's how early he's had to be independent.

He emitted a low growl at the thought, trying his hardest to push all traces of his past far from his mind. Instead he focused on the rapid beat of his heart, his ragged breathing, and how the world seemed to be suddenly and inexplicitly shrinking for him. There was also a pounding in his ears that he could not explain which he blamed on the abrupt change in his world. Although he had a feeling it was almost certainly nothing more then his heart going haywire. However all this was strangely soothing to the delinquent. It had the effect that a bus ride had on kids, only it was an adrenaline rush worthy of a medal. For he was not like all those other kids, he didn't want or need to be brought down to what people considered a 'calm' state of mind. What he had learned to need over the course of his life was a rush. It was his defense mechanism. He used it to get through the shit without cracking or going straight over the edge a lot of the time. Granted it was extremely risky since it could go one of three ways. It could pump so much adrenaline through his veins that he went crazy with rage, not enough so that he broke down right then and there, or it would have the desired effect of soothing his tortured mind. It was difficult at first to get the level just right, but now it was far easier. He was still teetering on the edge right now, but he was without a doubt getting the right amount of it. Otherwise he'd be down on his knees.

Random thoughts continued to bounce around in his clouded mind, him registering little but the shift of concrete beneath his feet to a much softer ground. He was now half way there, only the fence separating his block from the school stood in the way. But naturally it was nothing. He'd done it countless times after all.

Another hundred steps and he was coming up on it, hands outstretched and ready to grip on to the cold metal. And, just as that first day of school, he latched on and pushed himself up and over without stopping. This time it was more amazing though. He didn't need to gather his bearings this time around, he didn't hesitate a fraction of a second even. He just kept running as if the devil himself were at his heels and his only chance of survival was to keep running and never think of pausing in his tracks. He chuckled lightly at the thought. If only. He'd gladly allow this pursuit for, at first, the game and eventually the death it insured. To bad there was no such thing as a real devil, it was but a saying. The only devil in this world was, first and foremost, the perpetrator of his wound and, second in command, himself. It was his soon to be title. Whenever the other bastard passed on he'd gladly take the position with immense pride. He'd finally have a place in this world that wasn't just 'the prankster' or 'king of the school'. But don't get the wrong idea. He loved being the king of **something**. He just wanted it to be something in the real world. This would be his goal in life, that is, if he lived that long.

He was coming up on his pathetic excuse of a house now, its white paint chipped and faded to the extreme. It was so sad that he could barely stand looking at it, let alone expect some stranger to appreciate. It didn't help that the windows were cracked and the curtains hanging on the inside were torn. One person would take on glance and it would all be over. They'd make a disgusted face, snort, and turn their eyes away thinking 'What a dump.'

He slowed to a complete stop as he got to the edge of the grass at his driveway. He was a mere few feet from the entrance of the house, breathing heavy, chest rising rapidly, and his body encompassed in sweat. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and sighed heavily. It was then that he realized something. He saw that his mother's car was not parked like it almost always was. Instead there was a car he barely ever saw. It was black, like the owners heart. It was in better shape then his mother's as well, but it didn't make it any more desirable. Duncan hated it more then ever because it was in good condition and he never got to ride in it. Duncan growled, kicking at the concrete with fury abound. Although, he couldn't say he was displeased by the cars presence. Deep down he was secretly hoping as he ran that he would be here. Otherwise the whole point of coming would have disappeared.

After staring heatedly at the vehicle a moment more he turned a cold shoulder to it, thrusting his nose in the air as he walked easily over to the front door. Looking at the door he found a fire rise within him. He displayed this emotion by glaring darkly at the door as if it had done this to him. Deep down he half wished this were the case. What he would give to be able to say when asked what had happened 'Oh, nothing. I was being a klutz is all and ran into the corner of the door.' They'd all have a good laugh about it and quickly move on with their lives. He shook his head. But no. This wasn't nor would it ever be the case, he knew it.

He swallowed hard, not entirely sure of what he was doing anymore. Was this really the answer? Where things bad enough for him to be so incredibly stupid? More so he wondered if he was being selfish. He couldn't help but think of Zane and Courtney and what their reactions would be. They'd undoubtedly find out, maybe not soon or even in the week that followed but they eventually would. It'd probably get a spot on the news. 'Senior boy found brutally murdered. Person responsible is still unknown. More updates later.' He smirked in a bittersweet manner. He'd certainly get attention, that was a given. He'd get what he craved so desperately. He might even, if lucky, get the sympathy of his so called father.

This notion was what tipped the scale, outweighing the feelings of his best friend and Courtney. He'd searched for his father's approval since he was young, never doing enough to get it. Maybe this would be enough. He slowly reached out for the doorknob, turning the knob and pushing the squeaky door open in the same fashion. The place was the same as when he'd left it. Nothing had been moved even the slightest inch. Duncan was mildly surprised since his mother was absent, the neat freak, and his father was here, the slob. Still, Duncan supposed it was just him respecting her quirk. He was nice to her.

"What the hell?" a roaring voice sounded about him as the figure of his father appeared before him in the hall, eyes ablaze and mouth curved in a deep frown.

Duncan didn't move, arms folded across his chest as the door fell back shut with a bang. "Nice to see you too." He sneered.

His father looked like he would snap more so then he did, his mouth twitching and fists clenching almost instinctively. "What the hell are you doing here?" his words were coated with malice.

"In case you didn't know I live here too. Unless I've suddenly been evicted." Duncan quipped sarcastically, face stone cold.

His father emitted a loud growl, fists trembling from the effort it was taking him to control himself in the moment. "Yeah! And right now your ass is supposed to be sitting in a seat at school, not here!" he licked his lips in satisfaction, knowing his son would have a witty remark in return.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Like I care. It's such a waste of time. I never go." he allowed the smallest of smirks to make itself known on his lips, eyes dancing with a fire similar to the one he saw in his fathers whenever they were in the same room.

His fathers eyes shot wide open, anger flaring up even more. "You better not mean it!" he warned. "Or else." he threatened in all seriousness.

Duncan didn't doubt he meant it, but all in all he didn't give a damn. Pressing his buttons always gave him a sick satisfaction much like his father got when he cut Duncan down. He didn't like to admit it, but they were far to alike for his liking. It mattered not that Duncan struggled day in and day out to be different. There were just some things one could never change, especially when bonded by blood. "You better believe I mean it." Duncan growled, lowering his arms to his side. "Remember, rule one, liars deserve no pity and are destined to die." the rule was a harsh one, but a rule none the less. He'd grown up with it, grown up trying his best to follow it while simultaneously doing the exact opposite when anywhere else. If that wasn't a contradiction he didn't know what was.

This cut another thread of his father's patience, bringing him closer to the breaking point. "Impudent whelp!" he barked. "Don't lecture me on my own rules! You're only biding your time! And it's not about to work!"

Duncan snorted, flipping a strand of hair out of his face. "If you say so all mighty ruler." he paused as he intensified his hard gaze on his father. "But no matter what you think, you **don't** know me."

"Shut up!" he cried, a fire practically engulfing his body from the amount of rage he was feeling toward his so called son. "You're my son! I know you more than any other God forsaken person in this damn world!" He didn't care how much of an ass he sounded like to the kid, Duncan was absolutely not allowed to show the same amount of disrespect toward him. He knew he knew this and was intentionally trying to work him up. It didn't make a lick of sense. Sure he'd done it once before, but he had been but a child then and not fully understood the effect his back talking would have. Now, however, Duncan wasn't so naïve. Did he want to die?

Duncan didn't move, not even to cringe at the loud volume of his father's voice. "So you always say." he grumbled. "But that's only because you're the only God forsaken one here."

His father shook his head violently. "That's it!" he bellowed, lashing out and hitting Duncan hard across the face with his large fist.

The blow stung like all get out, more than anything Courtney could ever hope to dish out, but he barely showed it. He grit his teeth slightly as he was sent into the wall of the hall with much force, but that was it.

His father's breathing was above normal now, that adrenaline rush he loved most when hurting his only child pushing him to do more. However he restrained himself for a moment to say, "Well?" he spat. "Got anything else to say smart ass?" a smug smirk was plastered on his face.

Duncan slowly pushed himself off the wall, staring his father down with the coldest of glares. If the bruise hadn't been bad before it would certainly swell up to mass proportions now. "Bring it on." he hissed.

This made the man hesitate a fraction of a second, caught off guard by Duncan's eagerness to mingle with him. Yet it wasn't enough to stop him from fulfilling his wish. He came at him again, hitting him square on in the face, a loud crack issuing afterward.

Duncan took it without making a sound, the crack only perturbing him slightly. He knew what it meant. His nose was without a doubt broken. He gripped it tenderly as he stumbled back, struggling to remain standing. "Try it again." he urged him on.

His father, despite the rush he was getting, knew something was wrong for sure now. Duncan had an uncanny ability to recognize when he was an instant away from snapping and avoid any hit nine times out of ten. The only reason he could think of for him not putting this skill to use was that he wanted to be punished. "What's fucking wrong with you?" he screamed.

"Good question." he mocked. "Why don't you tell me? I've been dieing to know ever so long." he intentionally aimed at sounding like one of those characters from old movies who his father hated so.

His father didn't even bother saying anything back, he just seized Duncan by the throat, raising him up into the air a few inches as he steadily tightened his grip.

Duncan saw this coming, like everything else his father had done today, but didn't move to stop it. In his mind he was getting what everyone else thought he deserved. So even as his airways became constricted he did nothing.

His still body annoyed his father greatly. It was barely any fun messing with a submissive victim. "Come on!" he snapped, punching him across the face with his free hand. "Fight back!"

Duncan let his eyes fall shut, ignoring his father.

"I said FIGHT!" he was screaming so loud that he was sure a passerby could have heard easy.

Duncan was feeling lightheaded now, his mind shutting down on him. He had but a few moments of not needing air left in him before his natural instinct of gasping for a breath would kick in. That's what his father wanted anyway.

"Damn it Duncan!" he roared, slamming his head brutally into the wall. "Don't ignore me!"

Duncan grunted painfully deep in his throat, the sound not making it all the way out from his constricted throat.

"I'm gonna kill you!" he snarled, grabbing a mirror from the wall and smashing it down on Duncan's head. The glass shattered into multiple shards, cutting the tender skin of his forehead, cheeks, the space around his eyes, and even his lips as it fell to the floor at their feet.

Duncan's vision was blurring, the pain not registering in his quickly fading mind. All he felt was the strain the lack of oxygen was putting on his lungs and heart and the burning sensation in his eyes that was fresh tears. And then he smiled.

That was the most unnerving thing for his dad. Duncan had stopped smiling at him by the time he was seven. He hid any sign of happiness for fear that it would be crushed by his impulsive dad. This was why, in this moment of high tension and uncontrollable fury, he started. Seeing that smile which he had forgotten in the years was like a shot to the heart. He suddenly felt like all parents should, like Duncan's mother did every moment of the day. And it sucked. "Shit!" he yelped, releasing his grip on Duncan's throat and dropped him to the ground.

Duncan hit the ground with a thud accompanied by a sharp intake of breath and a string of rapid breaths in and out. Even though Duncan had been perfectly content with the fate he was being handed his body didn't think the same. It was doing all in its power to regulate his functions.

"You dumbass!" his father screeched, lip trembling. "You **wanted** me to kill you?" it was a half question, him knowing the answer without it having to be spoken. "Idiot!" he kicked Duncan in the stomach then, a look of pure disgust ever present. "And **you**. Remember rule four. Never, **ever**, throw your life away. It's worth more then you'll ever know." with a snort and the roll of his eyes he stomped back into the living room.

Duncan lay there, propped up on one arm, eyes wide and mouth agape in a stunned expression, body trembling uncontrollably as he watched his father deliver one last blow before leaving him to himself. He would have gotten back up and followed the bastard if only he could find the will. That look that played across his face for a fraction of a second was to much for Duncan though. He'd not seen that look of fear in his fathers stone clod gaze since forever ago, since this mess started. To see it now, when faced with the possibility that his only child wanted to die, meant more then the world. In fact, it was so important to him that a shaky smile worked its way on to his cracked lips and eyes danced with genuine joy. He was even laughing softly as he laid his head down on the floor amongst the shards of glass. They pierced his skin, but, like everything else in this moment, it mattered not. In a matter of a week or two the scars would have healed. The only thing that would remain would be this feeling of giddiness at having caught his father, his freaking father for crying out loud, off guard. Nothing would ever erase it, nothing at all.

**...**

She'd hoped and prayed beyond reason that Duncan would appear in class the next day. She even went so far as to say she'd not ever be mean to him in any way, no matter how much of an ass he was to her. Still, when she walked into class on Friday he was nowhere to be found. She moaned to herself, going off on him as if he were there listening the whole day. She knew anyone close enough to hear her ranting, mainly Zane, would brand her as marginally insane, but it mattered little in the grand scheme of things. She was desperate to know whether or not Duncan was alright, how hurt he was if that were the case, or what. She **needed** to know. The asshole wasn't going to get away just like that! She refused to allow it! After all the shit he'd forced her to endure, good and bad, there was no way in the world he would up and leave.

Unfortunately for Courtney, Duncan didn't return Monday either, nor did she see his face once that entire week. He remained absent in all classes, after school activities, and even the skate park. She went there every day that week too. She figured that if he was willing to walk around there in the dead of night he'd have no problem doing so when he could blend in with the crowd. But no. Duncan did not have the same line of thinking as her. When he went missing he really went missing. He made sure that no one, not even Zane, could find him for the allotted amount of time. Of course this meant staying in his dreaded household, but sometimes, like now, it was worth it. It helped that his father didn't touch him again during the span of the week due to shame, otherwise it would have been beyond torture. Now, however, Duncan could almost say he was happy with his stay.

So as the start of the second week of his extended absence was right around the corner Courtney found herself laying absentmindedly in her bed. It was nearing ten and she knew she should be getting to sleep, she just couldn't. Duncan was heavy on her brain as she stared intently at the designs on her ceiling. She wished he'd stop this game of his and come back to school if not for her then for Zane. His demeanor had suffered greatly since he left. He'd went from a perky boy without a care in the world to someone she scarcely recognized. He was always looking at the floor, anywhere but at her, barely speaking, biting his lip nervously, twiddling his thumbs, and going off into his own little world. It hurt her more than anything else. That was why Duncan had to come back.

"Courtney!" her mother's sharp voice called up to her. "Do I see your light on?"

Courtney rolled her eyes. It was a rhetorical question if she ever heard one. Her mother was basically telling her to turn her light off without saying it. "Yes!" she cried in return, jumping up off the bed and hurriedly flipping the switch off so that her mother wouldn't have a chance to call her out on her fib. She sighed sadly. If only that was all there was to worry over.

She stood there for a time, half listening for her mothers footsteps, half pretending there was something to do that required her to be here, in this very spot. But it was for naught. Nothing came, nothing but her soft sobs and a light trail of tears as she rested her forehead up against the wall. And for once she was not ashamed. With no one to hear or see it was as if it never happened. Her tears meant nothing to anyone. Only she could vouch for the fact she was indeed crying, crying for a troublesome punk and his asinine habits. Although, she wasn't so much crying for him as she was for herself and her careless action that had driven him away. If she hadn't done what she had he would still be here and Zane wouldn't be acting weird.

But all this didn't change one thing. Her feelings toward the punk remained. "I hate you…" she whispered dully, sliding down the wall to the floor where she eventually fell into a disturbed slumber, witnessing things she was powerless to control. It was similar to her real life where she was more a spectator to the occurrences then she was apart of them. And she hated it all, only able to hope for a better day. A day she was sure would never come.

**...**

While Courtney had rocked herself to sleep in her floor Zane had been out walking the streets of the town. He took in the sights and sounds too for once in quite a while. He allowed the chirps of the crickets to soothe him, the occasional bark of a dog to keep him alert enough, the whistle of the wind to keep a small smile on his lips, and the traffic passing by to make him see that not even in the dead of night was one alone. The sights didn't so the same as the sounds, but they were there none the less. The gentle swaying of the trees made good rhythm, the street lights reminded him that even in the darkest of times nothing was ever so dim that you couldn't see the future, and the solid concrete made him feel as if he had a good grip on the circumstances of his life. It may sound, but it was his way of thinking. He continued thinking it too as he veered off of the road into the thick uncut grass of a spot near the edge of town.

He had been stupid and didn't wear pants so the grass itched as it pressed and pulled against his legs. Although he didn't let this annoyance deter him. He came here for a reason and he would not leave until he finished the chore. So he waded through it for another ten minutes or so until it gradually started to shorten. And in another minute or two it was cut clean like all people's yards were, revealing a large lake in the center. It was dead quiet here, not even the creatures of the night dared breathe a sound. It was the only place in the town, the only place he'd go.

Zane surveyed the place thoroughly, not allowing an inch of the place to escape his eyes. And sure enough there he was. He was sitting out at the edge of the dock that jutted out over the water with a dull look in his eyes. He was slumped over like usual, a good sign, absently staring out over the water, arms set in his lap with his hands clasped together. Zane didn't like the way he was sitting so still that he could be mistaken as a statue, barely breathing, but other than that he was elated. "Duncan…" he whispered, a smile passing his lips for the first time in two weeks. He'd missed his friend dearly and found no greater pleasure than being able to say he had found him. It wasn't some stranger or Courtney, it was **him**. He found no better way.

"Duncan." he said stronger as he walked over to and down the dock, the old wood creaking with every step he took. "You came here then did you?" he added as he reached the end, lowering himself so that he was sitting down in a similar position to Duncan on the edge of the dock.

Duncan remained silent, gaze glued to the horizon. He was bent on acting as if Zane did not exist. He wasn't supposed to be here. He didn't want him to be. At least his conscious mind didn't. Of course a part of him obviously wanted to be found if he were here. He knew that Zane would eventually come here once the days stretched into weeks. It was one of their places to reconvene after a messy event. It had been since they were kids. It was somewhere no one else would think to look, being so far out from the central part of town, and Zane would know to look after so long.

Zane didn't let his smile slip just yet. He understood that Duncan was hurt in more ways than one. "Remember?" he started, looking up at the black mass that was the sky. "We used to come here all the time." he chuckled lightly, a pain hidden in the action. "Whenever life got to hard this was our escape. We'd fish, swim, and just sit and talk about things."

Duncan still refrained from speaking. He did however sneakily glance out of the corner of his eye at his friend. He wanted to see if these words were nothing more than a ploy to get his butt back in school or if there was truly an emotion attached to them.

He smirked, pain glinting in his eyes. "As we got older we stopped frequenting this place. It was no longer the same as it had been, we didn't play." he clasped his hands between his knees and swung them gently. "And soon all that was left to say this was touched by two boys looking for fun was our memories. At that point our presence here meant only one thing…we were hurt." e swallowed hard. "Whether that was me worrying over my parents marriage or you…" he trailed off, tentatively picking back up a moment later. "…being abused." Zane cringed, hating the taste of the words in his mouth. He had sworn never to utter these words, not even to Duncan, but he had to now. If this didn't wake him up from his trance nothing would.

Duncan started, eyes widening as alarm flashed in their depths. He knew Zane only did it to get a sign that he was alive, but it didn't help. Back when they were eleven, when he'd told him, he'd made him promise to never even breathe a word concerning it. The only exceptions were when Duncan was having a fit and desperately needed to be soothed with certain reminders of it. "You promised." Duncan whispered, glaring off into the distance again.

Zane sighed in relief as Duncan finally broke the silence. "I know." he murmured. "But I had to. You desperately needed me to."

Duncan's mouth turned down into a deep frown, hating how he was using his own words from back then against him now. He deeply loathed how that worked. Making conditional promises could help or, in cases such as now, come back to bite you in the butt big time. "Whatever."

Zane smiled wanly, sadness showing more prominently than the happiness. "I'm just glad you're alright." he muttered.

Duncan snorted. "If you can call it that."

Zane cringed. "I'm…I…" he struggled to find words to make up for his poor choice of words, coming up with nothing but misery. "…didn't mean it that way…" he muttered in a hushed tone that Duncan wouldn't hear. He lowered his gaze down to the murky water below them, eyes shining with bitterness. For an instant even he thought of where he'd be if he'd never met Duncan, never been dragged into his hellish life. There would be not unquailable fits, no extended periods of absence, and few points where Duncan acted like he wasn't alive. But this longing was a momentary weakness. Really he'd never give this up, not for anything. He cared about Duncan and the things that happened to him. It was merely the human condition to wish for something more than they had. He didn't mean it one little bit.

Duncan saw that he had deeply hurt Zane and felt immediate guilt. He sighed softly. "Sorry…" he grumbled, unclasping his hands and rubbed the back of his head with one.

Zane shook his head. "It's nothing." a pause. "I should've said it different."

Duncan grit his teeth. "No." he sighed heavily. "That's just it. You shouldn't have to say it any different. If I were any other guy you **wouldn't** have to." it pained him greatly to admit it, no matter how subtle, to say that Zane's life would be far better if he didn't have to tiptoe around the sensitive subject of Duncan's life. But it was the truth.

Zane hated when things got to deep like this. It was why they avoided this subject like they did, it always led to the thing they both knew but never said, an unspoken taboo if you will, of Zane's life without Duncan taking up his time and attention. "So." he shrugged. "I wouldn't trade this for anything." he admitted with a soft chuckle.

Duncan smiled for the first time the whole conversation. He loved hearing these words from Zane's mouth. It was an unspoken truth, but it felt more real when said aloud. "Thanks…"

Zane looked over into Duncan's teal orbs, seeing real happiness lying within them. "Any time."

Duncan looked back at Zane for a minute, letting the silence engulf them, before he tore his eyes from him back to the horizon. "But I'm not going back." he growled, pleased eyes turning cold as a scowl made itself known.

Zane frowned, sighing irritably. "I knew you'd do this." he shook his head. "Duncan. You can't avoid it forever. You know that."

Duncan snorted, sticking his nose in the air. "Says you. I can do whatever. Dad's to ashamed to do shit to me now." his voice held a smile.

Zane's eyes widened. "Really? He…hasn't hurt you…?"

Duncan shook his head in the negative. "Nope. Not after that first day." his smile faltered at these words, him biting down on his lip to hid the obvious contempt and sadness.

Zane was tentative to ask, but he did it. "So…what did he do…?"

Duncan stiffened. Dangerous territory. Then again, they'd already torn across multiple subjects in the same category. What was one more? "You don't want to know." he grumbled, moving a hand to his cheek on the far side of Zane.

Zane figured any bruises from then would be gone now, but the emotional pain wouldn't dissipate. "Are the bruises gone?" he pressed, reaching for Duncan's face so he could turn it about to face him.

A fire flared up in Duncan's eyes at the contact. He hated being touched. No matter who it was his instinctive thought was that they were going to hurt him. The only exception being his mother and if he was in to much turmoil to care. But he didn't act out like he might have with anyone else.

Zane noticed the contempt that entered Duncan's eyes, but ignored it. He wanted to see if there was any lasting damage. From what he saw his nose was still a bit messed up and he had a few tiny scars on his cheek and forehead from being cut by something sharp. Zane guessed shards from a mirror. He'd seen it before. "I think you're ok." he paused as he ran a finger over the nose. "No one at school with care about these scars. You can say you crashed your dirt bike or something. Same goes for the nose."

Duncan growled lightly. "You don't understand. Them just asking makes me…" he trailed off, jerking his head from Zane's hand. "Just…"

"I get it…" Zane grumbled. "But you **have **to come back." he insisted.

Duncan crossed his arms over his chest, snorting. "Yeah, right. You can't make me."

"Duncan." he said it sharply, knowing Duncan wouldn't crack at this point. "It's not me that cares."

Duncan started. "Then why the hell are you here?" he cried, eyeing him suspiciously.

Zane rolled his eyes. "Relax." his frown deepened. "I'm not on a mission to sabotage you." he chuckled, humor fading fast. "It's Courtney…" he murmured.

Duncan's eyes widened. "What?" he spit out in disbelief. "That little prep girl that you won't let me screw with?" he snorted. "Right."

"I don't know why but she hasn't been herself since you disappeared."

"Probably guilty. Nothing more." Duncan said with a smirk, amused by the notion.

Zane scowled. "Even if so you shouldn't let her suffer like that. It's wrong."

"Look, I'm not going back." Duncan said sternly. "Not for you, or her, or any one else in that damn school. It's just not happening. Got it?"

"Fine." Zane growled, standing up above him. "But don't expect me to have anything to do with you then." he turned about, in a huff, and walked back down the dock. Upon stepping onto the soft grass however he stopped dead. A smug smirk crept onto his face and his eyes glinted with amusement."Fine." Duncan replied with a hint of uncertainty, peeking around to see if Zane really was going to leave."But I won't tell you about this game either." Zane snickered.

Duncan perked, turning fully around as he stood up. "Game?" he was mildly intrigued. "What game?"

Zane's grin grew wider. "I told you. I'm not saying a word until I see you back at school." he paused to consider the right way to word his next phrase. "You won't be able to play anyway if you're not there."

Duncan snorted, crossing his arms. "What could possibly be fun at that hellhole?" he grumbled, trotting over to stand at Zane's side. "Hmm?"

Zane shrugged, looking blankly at him. "I can't say. I guess you'll have to come back or never know what your missing out on."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever." he grumbled, pretty sure that Zane was lying about this supposed game. Him being so gifted at reading expressions both intentional and intentional was handy. However Zane could, on occasions, bluff an emotion to reel Duncan in and get him to do something he'd otherwise never consider. He had the sneaky suspicion this was one of those times.

Zane chuckled softly at his friend. He knew what Duncan was thinking and he was right. Zane had no idea what he was going to tell Duncan when he walked through the doors of the school tomorrow. He was making it up as he went along. "Just think about it then, k?" Zane murmured, touching Duncan on the shoulder as a goodbye before he set off through the grass the way he had come.

"So full of it." Duncan said to himself as Zane got further away. "He thinks I'm gonna fall for that bullshit." he snorted. "Yeah, right. I'm not stupid." Duncan stood there a moment more, Zane's words beating down on him, before he turned and went his own way back home. All the while he couldn't help but wonder what it was, if it existed, that Zane had under his belt. He wanted to know, needed even. And by the time he got home he was dying over not knowing. It consumed him even in sleep and practically gave him no choice but to comply. He hated how Zane could do that. Sometimes he wished he was a little less manipulative and a tiny bit dumber. If this were the case he wouldn't be stuck in this situation, tossing and turning due to the mystery of this game. But not just that. As the night went on his dreams turned to Courtney, her and her tear stained face. He say it perfectly, like that night not long ago, as she drew further into herself. He wanted to know if she truly was as messed up as Zane claimed, if she was struggling, and if she was still the same conceited prep that he left, not a shell of her former self. No, he **needed** to know.

**For those of you have read some of my other stories you'll know what I mean when I say this goes against what I've created to be my cannon version of Duncan's childhood and present treatment. Still, for the sake of this story it fit better this way. So...yeah. I hope you liked it! :) Please review! :D**


	13. The Dance

**Sorry for dropping off the earth with this one. I just needed a break I suppose. Well, I hope you enjoy.**

Just as Zane wanted, and fully intended to happen, Duncan showed up at school the next day. This didn't mean that he was at happy about his decision, it was just that he saw no way around it. "Well." He grumbled, arms crossed over his chest.

Zane smiled from ear to ear. "Well?" he shrugged.

Duncan emitted a low growl. "Well, you better start telling me what's so important that I came back to this dump." A pause. "Otherwise I might hit you." He added for effect, not planning on doing so at all.

Zane chuckled, crossing his own arms in amusement. "You seem to be forgetting something." He said with cheer, wagging his finger at Duncan.

Duncan made a scrunched up face, frowning deeply. "What are you talking about?" He asked suspiciously.

Zane stifled a laugh. "I never said I'd tell you right away." His smile broadened further. He was looking forward to what he knew would be an explosion.

"What!" he exclaimed, breathing elevated. "You** liar**!" He swiftly got up in Zane's face, eyes ablaze. "You tricked me!"

Zane shrugged. "No I didn't." He snickered. "I merely played my cards right."

Duncan grit his teeth hard, clenching his fists with equal force. "You little-!"

"Whoa!" Zane cautioned. "Chill, man." He patted his shoulder. "I'm going to tell you." A pause. "Just not this second."

Duncan loosened his fists and allowed his tense gaze to relax some. "Fine." He said begrudgingly, averting his gaze.

Zane was pleased by how quick he was to compose himself. "Ok. Now go to first." He glanced up at the clock. "You don't want to be late."

Duncan snorted. "Why the hell not? It doesn't matter to me whether I get there now or five minutes before it's over." he said this matter of factly, nodding firmly.

Zane frowned faintly. "No, it does matter." He crossed his arms again.

Duncan's frown deepened. "Why?" He couldn't understand it. All he wanted was to hear what Zane had to say about this so called game. So why did he havee to go through so many meaningless tasks to get there?

"It just does." He repeated, nodding ever so slightly.

Duncan groaned in disbelief, throwing his hands into the air to further show this. "Whatever, man. I'll go." He shook his head. "But I won't like it!" Duncan reasoned that the point of going was to get Duncan to like it and come more often than not and as such swore he would do no such thing.

Zane snorted. "Ok. I don't expect you to." He shrugged, walking away from his friend and down the hall to his class. This way Duncan would have to do something other than bicker with him. He'd have to think. And he hoped the topic would be Courtney.

Duncan shook his head after Zane, knowing full well he could not see. It was just nice to pretend.

Duncan leaned back against the wall, keeping his arms crossed to create the perfect image of a cool, tough guy who meant business. It was because of this that millions of people started to either give him a big welcome or shift to the far end of the hall. He didn't care either way. All that mattered was that he felt right at home.

Over in Spanish class a little ways down the hall Courtney sat, eyes dull, staring blankly at the door. She couldn't say she expected him to come walking through the door, but she couldn't say she didn't hope to be wrong either. And she found it impossible to comprehend her logic.

The clock on the wall clicked over to 8:09, catching Duncan's eye for once. Zane had said he'd tell him the game if he went to first on time. And it was only this fact that pushed his body toward the class as time went on, at least that's what he forced himself to believe.

Upon entering the room the bell rang loud around him and everyone else in the school. But it wasn't as annoying as usual. All he thought about was looking to the back of the room where he knew she would be.

Courtney sighed heavily at the sound of the bell, head resting loosely in her hands as she gave one last look to the door before she would never think of it again. She was even halfway through banging her head down on the table when she realized she'd seen something.

She jerked her head back up, eyes wide in disbelief. There he stood, trademark smirk gracing his lips and usual skull shirt and pants covering his body. She could scarcely believe her eyes nor her heart. It was aflutter in her chest, a content sigh escaping her upturned lips.

Duncan saw her at almost the same instant she did, trying to pretend he didn't care that she was still here and appeared well as he walked back to the seat beside her. "Sup." He muttered absently, looking the other way upon taking his seat.

Courtney too avoided looking at him, sneaking a peek only when she figured he wasn't looking. "I don't know." She said in a similar tone, unable to hide the wide grin that forced itself to the surface.

Duncan snuck just as many looks at her, wanting to see if her demeanor shifted in any way. "Whatever." He grumbled.

This was a dead end for the conversation as far as Courtney figured and as such she didn't bother saying any more.

It was quiet albeit the buzz of the teacher's voice for a while until Duncan finally forced himself to ask something he'd been wanting to ask since last night. "How you been?"

Courtney was caught off guard by this. "What?" She said with a half laugh of uncertainty.

"Since I left." A pause. "Did you act as stuck up as usual?" he jabbed unusually playfully, flashing her a devilish smile.

"Ah!" Courtney was offended. "Stuck up? Me?" she cried shrilly, clenching a fist. "I'm not stuck up!"

Duncan chuckled in amusement. "You keep telling yourself that."

Courtney let out a low growl, mouth twitching uncontrollably. "Prick." she hissed, shoving her nose in the air to further prove his point of her attitude.

Duncan shook his head. "My point exactly." he was satisfied now.

"Why does it matter how I've been anyway?" she snapped, lowering her head back down to normal level.

"It doesn't." he snorted. "I just thought it was **nice** to ask."

Courtney snorted right back. "Since when did you conform to the rules of society?" she teased in a less than playful manner. "Did you bump your head while you were gone or what?"

Duncan's easygoing demeanor slipped away, along with his smile. "Yes." he hissed. "Maybe that's why I thought I could say something to you without you acting like a witch!" he snarled.

Courtney was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me!" he said a little to loudly, catching the attention of a few of the students closer to them.

Courtney seethed. "Fine! Then I won't tell you anything about me! Not how I was doing or **anything**!" she wiped her head around away from him, crossing her arms on the table, and began tapping her foot in irritation.

Duncan watched her a moment more, taking in the interesting look she had when angered that he found himself strangely attracted to, before looking away as she did.

The both of them basically twiddled their thumbs as class went on without their attention. They were too consumed with the other even now, more so now, that they'd bickered.

In the end it was Courtney, upon getting up the courage to ask the forbidden question, that broke the silence. "Where..." she trailed off, wringing her hands out.

Duncan looked over at her more noticeably now, seeing the unease all over her face. "Where what?"

She shrugged slightly. "Where...did you go?" She mumbled.

Duncan had been half expecting this at some point so it wasn't as shocking as it could have been. "Home." He said shortly.

"Why?" She found that Duncan had the right line of thinking. Short answers and queries were best.

"I dunno." He shrugged. "I felt like it."

Courtney frowned deeply, staring intently at her now untensed, clasped hands. "Because of me." She said bluntly.

This stung Duncan slightly. Yes, it was you. It was all your fault, everything that happened. Even though this was true, he couldn't say it. "Maybe." he half lied.

Courtney cringed. She expected as much. Only she kind of expected to get the whole truth, not him trying his best to avoid blaming her. It wasn't like him. "Maybe?" She repeated.

Duncan nodded, looking to the front of the room as a distraction.

"What does that even mean?" She grumbled in an almost irritated way.

His mouth turned into a tiny snarl. "Nothing."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Fine." She didn't care if he told her, she didn't care one bit. It wasn't like she needed to hear him say, 'You screwed up, but it doesn't matter.' Because she didn't!

Duncan shook his head, rolling his eyes to match her almost perfectly. The only difference was that Duncan honestly didn't care.

By the end of the class the two hadn't said a single word after that. But that didn't mean they hadn't exchanged hand gestures. Courtney preferred sticking her tongue out while Duncan flipped her off. And this was what they did, back and forth, until the bell rang.

"See ya Princess." he sneered, flipping her off one last time before heading for the door like the rest of the students.

Courtney let out an irritated groan, fists shaking angrily. "That's **not** my name!" she screamed after him, kicking at a desk leg while pretending it was him.

Courtney hated how arrogant he managed to be. Not only that but she hated how she was constantly the subject of this arrogance. He could pick any other person, yet he chose her. Why?

Courtney shook her head faintly, lifting it high in the air as she took a different path than Duncan to her next class which she thankfully didn't have with him. She would enjoy the break. And yet...she sighed. It just didn't feel right without him. Nothing ever would be now.

**...**

Duncan was pumped, racing to his next class excitedly. He couldn't wait to here what this stupid game of Zane's was. It was eating away at him like nothing else ever had. The only thing that bit at the outer edges of his mind as he tried to focus on what was coming was the previous class with Courtney.

No matter how hard he tried he could not help but think about her and how conceited the princess managed to be, especially around him. Not only that but he had a continuous nagging on his conscious that how he acted toward her was wrong. He loathed the feeling, the only part of him that made it hard to be bad.

And it only ever happened with her.

Duncan shook all thoughts of her as he stepped through the door of his class, eyes shooting over to the seat Zane always occupied. He was already there too. Good. Now he could tell him all there was to tell right off. Not that ignoring class mattered to him, he was merely obsessed in a sense. he needed too know this game.

"Zane!" he called, waving at him as he trotted over to take the seat next to him.

Zane waved back, smiling broadly over at his friend.

It was time.

He would now have to fulfill his promise of giving Duncan an activity to occupy himself during school. And he actually had something now. It had taken him all last night and this morning to think of something and for a while he had almost given up. But he didn't. He saw it through to the very end and therefore kept what he had told Duncan from turning into a lie.

Duncan situated himself into a comfortable position, smug grin on his face, eyes dancing with unbound life and interest in the subject at hand. "So..." he started, smirk widening. "What is it?" Duncan mused.

Zane's smile didn't falter in the least even though he still had slight doubts in whether Duncan would really care about what he was about to get him to do or not. "I know it's still a month away and all, which is quite a while, but you might need it." he clasped his hands together, turning himself so that he could better face Duncan.

Duncan stared intently at his friend, brow furrowed in slight confusion. "Yeah?"

"It's nothing new to you. You've played it before, the yearly fun of 'Halloween Love'." A pause. "Only this time you don't get to pick." he added, smirking evilly.

"Ah." Duncan whined. "That's not fair! Nor is it any fun!" he scowled, sticking out his lower lip. "You promised me a good game!"

"Would you hush." he ordered, rolling his eyes. "I told you. This time's different." he chuckled at his own thoughts, the sliver of guilt for putting her through this completely over shadowed by the amusement Zane was garnering from this. "You're not gonna get one of those sluts or some easy girl." A pause. "This time you get Courtney."

Duncan's eyes shot open, wide as ostrich eggs, and his mouth fell open without his consent. This was such a shock to him that he even found himself unable to form words for a moment in time. Zane was right, this was different. A very unfair kind of different. With Courtney, Zane would get so much more of a kick out of Duncan's struggles since he already knew all there was to get close to her.

Zane's smirk had grow so wide at this point that it was a miracle it still fit on his face and wasn't anime-like. "Well?" he pressed, knowing the response he would get before it occurred.

"Are you insane?" Duncan yelled. "I have to woo that snot?" he was still in utter shock.

Zane laughed heartily. "Nope, yes, and she is not a snot." he scowled lightly at having to say the last bit. Courtney wasn't what Duncan tried to make her out to be all the time. She only seemed that way to him because of all the shit he put her through from the start. What did he expect? She wasn't the type to get over big events like that, even when said person made up for it at times.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Not to you!" he pointed out. "But she's a freaking she devil when it comes to me! Even when I try to be nice she practically bites my head off! It's either that or she asks a million questions behind my 'strange' behavior, which is just as much of a piss off!" Duncan huffed, crossing his arms over his chest to further show his irritation.

Zane shook his head, still quite entertained by this situation. "She might be more inclined to act pleasant around you if you hadn't made her look like the laughing stock of the whole school." he reminded. "You totally ruined any reputation she had. Wouldn't that piss you off?" There was a split second stop before Zane quickly added. "Don't answer that."

Duncan snorted, ignoring his last comment to an extent. "Anyone who pisses me off who isn't a girl gets a good punch to the face. That's why no one dares to. They know better than to mess with me." he nodded firmly, smirk returning to his lips. "And yes, that means if she weren't a girl I'd have knocked the lights out of her by now.

Zane rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He didn't really believe him completely. True, he didn't appear to like Courtney all the time, especially not after she snapped at him, but when it came down to it he was attracted to her. Zane saw it plainly. "But don't think you're getting out of this." He warned Duncan.

Duncan growled under his breath. "Why not?" He grumbled. "I'll still come here." He tried to bargain.

"Nope." Zane said simply. "You wanted a game and you got one. So you're going to play this game whether you like it or not. Got it?" Zane said with slight annoyance, although most of it was lost to his great amusement.

"You suck." Duncan growled, unable to find much else to say in this situation. He had pretty much screwed himself over with his own attitude. Then again…it could end up being fun. He smiled slightly. Who knows? Maybe trying to fool her into loving him would be great. "But I'll do it."

Zane smiled with pleasure. "That's good." He nodded faintly. "But remember." He thought to aid Duncan ever so slightly. "She likes being complimented and people who treat her as an equal." A pause. "That means no losing your head or calling her names."

Duncan sighed irritably. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." It would definitely be a challenge, that was for sure, but it would surely occupy him. He hadn't had a challenge like this in so long. "I know. And I'll succeed. You'll see." He nodded firmly.

Zane laughed softly, barely able to wait for the outcome of this game. And yet, at the same time, he dreaded it. What if, through all this, Courtney really did bend and let him have his way? What would he himself do? He loved her. And if Duncan fell for her as Zane knew he would, everything would become oh so very complicated.

"Zane?" Duncan asked, frowning deeply at him and the expression he know wore. It was so different from what it'd been mere moments before. It seemed very perplexed, like he half regretted what he was doing. But why?

Zane perked. "Huh? What is it?"

Duncan shrugged. "Dunno. Yu just looked kinda troubled all of a sudden." He said bluntly. There was no reason to pussy foot around it.

Zane grimaced for a split second before laughing lightly and shrugging it off. "I was just thinking about the errands I have to do today after school." He lied.

Duncan narrowed his eyes. Yeah, right. It was so obvious he was lying it was sad. He was an awful liar, especially when caught off guard by accusations. Zane only fooled him on select occasions. And that didn't include now. "Okay."

Zane's eyes widened in surprise. What? Was he serious? Did he not see that he was lying right to his face? Or was it simply that he didn't care enough to call him out on it? He was tempted to choose the latter.

"But it's ok." He insisted. "I shouldn't worry." He chuckled nervously.

"Uh-huh." Duncan murmured quiet enough so that his friend wouldn't hear. Liar. "It's cool." He said with a smile, turning back to the front. "But enough talking." A pause. "I need to focus."

Focus? Ha. Zane smiled again. He didn't mean on class. He meant on what trap he would lay for Courtney the next period he saw her. And no doubt he wouldn't want Zane interfering. So he'd oblige. He would sit at another table, at least for today.

**...**

Fourth came in what felt like a heartbeat for Duncan. For once the rule of wanting something to happen making seconds last for hours did not apply and he was beyond thankful. He raced down the halls of the school toward drama class and he honestly couldn't remember at time when he'd wanted to be in class so very much. Not even his anticipation of talking with Zane before this compared.

Courtney wasn't quite as chipper as Duncan as she walked at a leisurely pace to her next class. Although she couldn't help but smile at the thought of sitting down with her boys, even the Neanderthal Duncan. Actually...

Her thought was interrupted as she ran smack dab into something, wobbling back from the force of it. "What the...?" She murmured to herself, rubbing her head gently. Only when she looked up did her confusion turn to annoyance. "Oh. You." she growled.

Duncan frowned right back for a moment, scoffing, "Nice to see you too Princess." Damn it. He had just accidentally broken one of the rules he'd set for himself. No pet names. But oh well. He figured since he did it once there was no going back and he might as well keep it up.

"Can you at least try to watch where you're going?" she sighed. "I've had enough of getting ran over." She flattened her hair with her free hand, still flustered.

Duncan tensed instantly, eyes narrowing into thin slits, and lips drawn tight together. "What?" he growled with an anger usually reserved for his father. "Is someone screwing with you again?"

Courtney snorted. "Don't be stupid, stupid." she rolled her eyes. "No one is willing to even talk to me thanks to you!" she barked, poking his chest with a finger as she raised up on her feet to look him dead in the eye.

Duncan's brows raised in mild intrigue. "Well, if you'll lend me a time machine of yours I'll be more than happy to go back and let that pervert do whatever he planned on doing to you." he half joked, grabbing her hand gently to move it back down to her side.

Courtney groaned. "Forget it!" she slapped his hand off of hers before thrusting her head into the air and stomping past him.

Duncan slowly turned his head about to watch her amusedly. It only made the scene more funny when he called her out on one tiny mistake. "Yo!" he called to her.

She stopped dead in her tracks, fists clenched and eyes on fire. What now?

Duncan snickered under his breath. "Uh, I may be wrong here...but I'm pretty sure class is right here, darling." He pointed lazily to the room to his left, unable to hide his wide grin from view.

Courtney flushed a deep red, unable to believe she had been so stupid as to skip over one of her classes. It didn't help that Duncan had had a hand in her roaming past. "**Stop** calling me names!" she snapped, turning at a blinding speed on her heel to head for the room and, in consequence, Duncan as well.

Duncan shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest for added effect. "I don't think so, darling." This seemed to get her more steamed than princess had. He smirked. Yeah, this would definitely do for a bit. It mattered little that he rather favored princess, he would get back to it eventually. He just wanted to try out some other ones for a bit.

"Ahhh!" Courtney stopped in front of him, taking in a deep calming breath. "Look here, darling." she said in a warning tone. "If you don't knock it off I am going to have to hurt you."

Duncan chuckled. How entertaining and unusually convincing she was being right now. For an instant he even thought to back down somewhat. But it was a fleeting thought. No pain would stop him from playing this game. This love game. "Whatever floats you boat babe."

Courtney practically screamed at this point, refusing to take part in this conversation any further. Instead she stomped past his tall figure into the classroom, head held high with an air of superiority. She'd show him. Just wait and see.

Duncan couldn't help but follow her with his eyes, taking in her stunning figure which he hadn't really noticed in the past since he had been so caught up in pestering her. She really wasn't half bad to look at. Huh. Who'd have thought.

Courtney flopped down in her usual seat with an irritated growl. She hated stupid Duncan. She didn't want to be near him for a straight hour right now. Then again, at least Zane would be here to quail the pain. And this made her smile return.

Duncan looked up at the clock which turned over to a minute till the bell would ring. He knew if he wanted to put his plan into action he'd have to not be late, so, for once, he headed on to class without a sigh.

Zane followed in behind him. "So, what are you gonna do? Huh?" Zane was extremely interested, only sad that he wouldn't get a front row seat. Still, being a table away wouldn't be to much worse.

Duncan snorted. "Nothing special." He muttered nonchalantly.

Zane was surprised. "Really? I figured you'd go all out for this one." He poked fun. "After all, she is far more of a challenge than most."

Duncan chuckled. "Yeah. But she's still a girl. And as such she'll fall into my arms in no time." A pause. "In fact…If I'm lucky I'll have her in a day."

Zane laughed out loud. "Yeah. Right." He continued to laugh lightly. "Courtney isn't one to give into hormones. Honestly, I wonder if she has any. She has never acted odd around me or anyone else."

Duncan rolled his eyes, stopping at his seat. "Meh. She merely hasn't had the right person prodding her is all." He was quite sure of himself. "Now get." He half ordered. "I'll never get anywhere with you over here."

Zane shook his head. "Yeah, ok." Not that he expected him to get much of anywhere today anyway. "But I'll be watching." He reminded as he wandered off to another table, the bell ringing shortly after.

Duncan nodded near unnoticeably. "Good…" he breathed, turning away from Zane to take his seat next to Courtney.

Courtney turned her head toward him, her lips parted as if she were about to say something, before she stopped dead. Her bright face grew grim, eyes narrowing, and mouth a sneer of the sorts. "What are you doing?"

Duncan smirked. "Sitting." He said simply, suppressing a snicker.

Courtney growled lightly. "Shut up." She raised her head, looking over his shoulder. "Where's Zane?" she pondered with concern.

Duncan snorted, watching silently as she searched the room. Even if she saw Zane it made little difference. Zane would surely tell her some sort of lie to get her back over here.

Courtney started to rise to her feet in order to get a better view of the room. She wanted to know if Zane had been checked out or something to that effect.

Duncan perked, half jumping up from his seat as he grabbed onto her wrist. "Don't." he growled.

Courtney's eyes shot down to where Duncan's hand now gripped onto her. And she didn't like it. It was nothing like that day near the skate park. It wasn't half as soothing nor was it gentle. It was much more firm in this instant. "Get off!" Courtney whined as she strained to get him to let go.

Duncan did nothing of the sorts. He did, however, raise to a full standing position. "No. I won't." There was a moment of hesitation before he went on. "Zane wants to be alone. Something about home trouble." A pause. "Besides…" he took hold of her free hand with his own, his hand which already gripped her wrist slipping down to her hand. "Wouldn't you rather sit here with me." His voice was dripping with seductiveness.

Courtney was caught off guard by both the gentleness of Duncan's hands now and the strange sweetness in his tone and for an instant she found herself unable to breathe. It didn't help that his eyes were practically piercing her soul.

Duncan raised a brow. "Well?" He had her. Ha! What now Zane? This was way too easy.

Then Courtney snapped out of it, pushing Duncan back off of her with a sudden spur of energy. "No!" she cried, blushing a bright shade of red. "Get off!" As soon as he let go she turned fast so that he might not see her before bringing her hands up to cover her face in embarrassment.

Duncan blinked a couple of times in mild shock and confusion as he stared at her back. What the hell? One minute she was staring deep in his eyes and the next he had been pushed hard away. That had never happened before…

"Just sit." Duncan heard Courtney's voice say to him as she breathed heavily in an out.

Duncan frowned lightly, obliging none the less. Perhaps Zane was right. She was different. But at least it was an interesting different. He smirked at the thought. People like her were few and far between. What luck. This was truly great.

Zane sat a table away laughing into his hands so that Duncan wouldn't hear. Not that it mattered. This would be just as amusing either way. Not only that, but it was going a bit differently than he pictured. Courtney had been just as caught up in him for a half second as all those other girls.

Duncan glanced back at Zane to confirm the fact he was taking immense pleasure in this before he brought his attention back to the brunette trying her best to pretend he didn't exist. "What's the matter?" he teased. "Embarrassed?"

Courtney shut her eyes tight, refusing to look at him as she spoke. "I don't get embarrassed." she said stubbornly, voice holding an edge of uncertainty.

Duncan snorted. "Then why are you blushing and failing miserably at hiding it?" Duncan asked, pointing at her face.

Courtney made a soft yelp whine kind of noise as he informed her of this. "I'm not!" she snapped shortly after, rounding on him. "It's just hot in here!"

Duncan broke another of his rules then as well. No corny jokes. "Only because I'm here." he snickered, moving his face closer to hers.

Courtney groaned loudly, pushing his face away with a hand as she scooted farther away from the delinquent. "Go away." she grumbled. "Just because Zane is somewhere else doesn't mean you get to take his place."

Duncan was caught slightly off guard by her wording of this phrase. What exactly did she mean? Was it that Zane was allowed to have such a behavior as this and still get away with it simply because she liked him? Or maybe she had a crush on the guy. The notion rather irked Duncan. Still, he wasn't going to give up. He was going to win this game. "Yeah, you're right." Duncan sighed in seeming defeat.

Courtney sensed his sudden change in demeanor and couldn't help but look at him out of the corner of her eye.

Once Duncan saw he had her attention at least to a degree he went on. "But that doesn't mean I can't carve out my own niche of my own." he flashed her a charming grin as well as wiggled his eyebrows. "Right, Princess?"

"That's it!" she burst out, standing up suddenly with an intent to put him in his place.

Duncan stared blankly at her along with the rest of the class.

Courtney then flashed him a devilish smile of her own before pushing Duncan as hard as she could backwards.

Although Duncan expected something he hadn't expected this and as such had no time to brace himself. He went flying back, toppling out of his chair to the floor. He raised into a sitting position in a mere moment after. "Ow." he said in a way that made it seem it didn't hurt all that much as he rubbed his head gently.

Courtney smiled almost heartily in the moments that followed before she tossed her hair back in place and promptly left the class without a care of what the consequences might be. All she knew was that that was unusually satisfying, being in control.

Everyone in the room was stunned speechless by Courtney's reaction and spurred exit because despite the fact most feared her by extension of Duncan it didn't mean they expected similar actions and reactions. If anything the exact opposite was what most thought to get from her.

But Duncan was the only one of them impressed by both how she treated him and the way she so willingly left. In fact, it was rather hot when such a good girl acted out. It was only made better by the fact he was without a doubt the cause of her odd behavior. "That's the way..." he breathed to himself as he reseated himself. "And soon you'll have changed without even realizing it."

**...**

Word had it that little miss perfect got her a day of after school detention thanks to her outburst and that she wasn't all too pleased with this, which made most avoid her more than usual. But, of course, Duncan was the only person who saw this as more of a conversation starter than an obstacle to her heart.

Duncan snorted at his choice of words. Closer to her heart? Ha. Things involving the heart meant caring, which he did not. He didn't care what happened with her, all he cared about was winning a bet. Besides, when matters of the heart got in the way everything was made so much more complicated. He knew this all too well.

Nevertheless he would get her. This was at the forefront of his mind as he entered math class and saw her sitting back in the far corner of the room. And from the looks of it what people had been saying was true. She appeared very unnerved and irritated.

Courtney was told just recently that she would be taking part in after school detention that day and she was rather shattered by the fact. It wasn't that she unused to being reprimanded for doing wrong or even that she would now have to walk home, mostly it was the thought of being in a room full of Duncan duplicates with no way of escape.

This was so worrisome to her that she was fidgeting uncontrollably, fingers tapping, feet bouncing on the floor, and eyes darting about the room. The latter was more so to keep an eye out for Duncan, but she'd never admit it regardless of the reason behind wanting to know his whereabouts because he'd no doubt find a way to poke fun. And she wouldn't have that!

Duncan walked back to where she sat, taking the seat next to her before quickly opening his mouth. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" he chuckled. "Afraid someone's gonna get you?"

Courtney started slightly, turning about to face him. "Yes! You!" she said sharply. "Do you realize what you've done?" she added, jabbing him in the chest with her index finger.

"I have a good idea." he said evenly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I have **detention** now!" she shivered at verbalizing the fact. This made it all the more real.

Duncan snorted, deciding not to bring up the trivial fact that she didn't have to walk out of class like she did. "Whatever. It's no biggie." He shrugged. "Everyone gets it at some point." he chuckled lightly as a thought came to him. "Some more than others."

"Not me!" She was quick to snap, scowling resentfully at him, before averting her gaze. "I never do anything wrong..." she muttered unconvincingly, wrapping her arms about herself in self comfort as pain shined in the depths of her eyes, memories of all the times she hadn't been perfect outside of school assaulting her mind.

Duncan sensed the sudden drop in energy on her part and found himself to be highly intrigued by it. "What's wrong?" The words passed his lips without his permission, he himself feeling shocked by it.

"Nothing." Courtney grumbled, looking from the corner of her eye at Duncan's unsure expression. It matched her own feelings perfectly.

Duncan snorted. There were so many things as proof against her statement that it was hard to count. "Nothing my butt..." he said softly so that Courtney might not hear.

But she did.

"Shut up!" she was quick to jump on him. "You may think you can do whatever the hell you want with me, but you can never know what I'm feeling!" she breathed heavily. "You don't know me!" she spat, eyes ablaze, mouth curved in a deep snarl, and fists clenched tight.

Duncan drew back some at her harsh words. Sure, it was rather attractive when she got steamed, but this time was different. She seemed more pained than anything. It was...sad. "Well...what if I want too?" he murmured timidly, his perfectly planned words falling right in the stream of the conversation. The only thing was that he almost meant it.

Courtney had been posed to strike at him in various ways depending on how he responded, but the one thing she didn't expect was what she got. As such the fire was sucked right of her. She untensed, fists unfurling while her overall expression mellowed. All that was left to feel was confusion and a mite bit of embarrassment. "W-What...?"

Duncan shook his head. "Never mind." he turned his head away from her, still watching her from the corner of his eye. "I was being stupid."

Courtney continued to stay transfixed on what she could see of his face for a time before snapping out of her daze. "If it was so stupid then you shouldn't have said it in the first place!" she criticized, silently wishing he'd change his mind. No one ever wanted to know her. Not even Zane said so aloud.

Duncan rolled his eyes, turning himself back around to face her. "Look." he said plainly, not wanting to wait a minute more. "I know you hate me and all, but I want to ask you something."

Courtney eyed him suspiciously. "What?" she growled with immense uncertainty. She didn't like how nervous he had suddenly become. It wasn't like him.

Duncan traced circles on his desk with a finger as he tried to pick out the perfect way to say this. Although honestly he knew he hadn't given it enough time and shouldn't pop the question without the proper preparations and what not, but he was unable to help himself. Who knows if it was because he desperately wanted to see her expression in response or if it were simply due to wanting to be able to say he did it. All he knew was that he had to ask.

"Well?" Courtney said with impatience, heart pounding in her chest all the while.

He just spit it out. "Would you go to the Halloween dance with me?" Once it was said he felt so much better. He didn't even care about the rejection. He knew it was coming, just like he knew her stunned expression would come before that. Besides, it was just a game.

**Idk...a bunch of conversations between dxc. It's ok I suppose. I just hope you liked it more than I do, otherwise I'll be annoyed with myself. I also hope there are no mistakes and that you'll tell me if there are big ones. Well, please review!**


	14. Love Game

**It's been another long while, hasn't it? I just fell out of wanting to write real situation stories for a long time, so this didn't get worked on. I hope to stay with this and upload more frequently now, but college is an unpredictable obstacle. So no promises. I hope you all still read this and will enjoy this update! :)**

"Ah!" Courtney sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening considerably as her mouth fell agape slightly. What? She couldn't believe her ears. Had he seriously just asked her what she thought he did? Was this some kind of sick joke he was playing on her? What was his deal?

Duncan watched her intently, eyes more serious than they usually were as he held his breath in anticipation. Come on…come on. Say yes. She needed to say yes. It didn't matter whether she did so because of the blood rushing to her brain or a moment of weakness. All that mattered was that this single syllable passed her sleek lips.

Courtney struggled to form the right words on her tongue, her voice seemingly leaving her in that moment. But why? She should only act as such when confronted by someone she actually cared for – like Zane. But this wasn't him. It was Duncan, his stupid 'friend'.

Courtney furrowed her brow at this. Was this the key? Was it merely because Duncan was connected to Zane that she found herself frozen, a deep blush finding its way to her cheeks. Yes! It had to be! At least that's what she told herself as she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly around empty words.

Duncan, despite his worry of her answer, was highly amused by her inability to respond immediately. He figured she'd instantly bite his pretty little head off for even suggesting such a ludacris idea. That she hadn't was a miracle in itself.

Only after an extended period of time and a little scuffling in her mind did she snap out of her awful daze, screaming, "Not on your life!"

Duncan flinched slightly at her harshness, otherwise remaining unaffected by her words.

"If you thought there was even the remotest possibility of me saying yes then you are a freaking dumbass! I mean-" she broke off mid-sentence, groaning loudly as ran her fingers through her hair to calm herself. "You're so **stupid**!" She finished.

Duncan was surprised by how his body betrayed him when he felt a hint of dejectedness tug at the corners of his mouth in the form of a frown and a barely visible bitterness lurk in the depths of his eyes. He was quick to hide it all, composing himself as best he could. "That's not what your face says." He pointed out.

Courtney blushed lightly, quickly moving to hide it by growling angrily at the boy before her. "Shut up! You don't know anything about my thoughts!"

Duncan acted to be sad by this, looking to the side and sighing softly. "Which is too bad really." He muttered, being sure to monitor her reaction. When she continued to eye him suspiciously he chuckled some. "It'd be nice if I could see into that interesting mind of yours."

Courtney shook with fury, hands clenched into fists. "Turn. Around. Now." She hissed, daring him to defy her.

Duncan chuckled lightly at her strong will. Zane had been completely right; she was in no way like the other girls. This girl, Courtney, was something else. And she would be his new hobby, that was a given. He had to remember to thank Zane as well. Eventually. "Alright, darling." He said sweetly, smiling widely.

Courtney half screamed, turning away from him herself so that she didn't have to deal with this. Yet all the while the only thoughts swirling around in her head were those of him, his stupid face, and why he was doing this. She couldn't wrap her mind around the last one. But she would be sure to figure it out. This she swore.

Duncan left her alone for the rest of the period, sneaking peeks at her throughout the time to keep himself content. But mostly he just thought. He thought about how he'd work her tomorrow, how she might react for the better or worse, and most importantly – if Zane would end up ruining things by coming back over to the table. The latter made him growl lightly to himself and hope that, no matter how much he loved Zane, that he might get sick and miss.

Courtney remained on her toes the rest of the time as well, not trusting him to leave her alone even after a large amount of time had passed. She just couldn't believe that the delinquent would do anything that she wished him to in his lifetime.

It surprised her to no end that not only did he leave her be for that period, but also sixth period. She swore he must have gotten sick somehow. Still, she supposed she shouldn't question good fortune and just go with it. Especially since her fortune would no doubt end quickly.

And it did.

By the next day the silence he'd given her was a thing of the past. He was even so eager to see her that he made sure to get to class extra early. This way he would certainly beat her there. Naturally, it worked. And Courtney hated it.

Courtney walked into the class and instantly deflated. Duncan was never here before her. This could not be good. She swallowed hard, setting the darkest of scowls on her face as she walked stiffly back to her spot near him.

Duncan's smirk spread clear across his face as she took her spot next to him. "Sup, Princess." He teased, anticipating a good dose of reprimanding.

Courtney's eyes danced with fire. "I told you!" She seethed. "It's Courtney! Court-ney!" She sighed, glaring heatedly at the wall. It was no good aiming her hate at him, he'd only turn it on her somehow so that it was proof she secretly wanted to go to the dance with him or something.

"Nah." He shook his head. "I like my name better. It suits you." He snickered, voice holding a seductive feel. To add to the sound of his voice he leaned in closer to her.

Courtney could feel his presence much closer than it should have been, but despite this she turned her head around in his direction. As she did so their noses practically touched and she let out a sharp yelp, jumping back and nearly falling out of her seat.

Duncan started ever so slightly, thoughtlessly moving to catch her even though it turned out to be an unnecessary action.

Courtney stared blankly up at him. Even now she could not help but be amazed by his speedy reactions. It was practically inhuman. She quickly moved past this phenomenon and then noticed the presence of his hand on her shoulder.

Duncan, once caught off guard, suddenly got his cocky demeanor back. He smirked in triumph and wiggled his eyebrows as an afterthought.

"Get off!" Courtney tried to pull his hand from around her shoulder, but it was proving difficult. "Duncan!" She half whined. "Stop!"

Duncan chuckled almost sweetly. "As you wish, Princess." He did as she said, adding her favorite name in there for kicks. Since he had broken the nickname rule yesterday, he was going to go all out with using it now.

Courtney fumed, groaning loudly. "You're such a Neanderthal." She growled, turning away from him again. This time she made sure to keep a watchful eye on him so that she didn't turn around right in his face.

"Thanks." He chuckled.

Courtney's teeth gritted hard. "That's **not **a compliment!" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms firmly over her chest, still refusing to turn his direction.

They sat in silence for no more than a minute, Duncan trying his best to wait patiently for her to give up on ignoring him. However, he soon saw that she was too stubborn to even think about giving in.

Courtney kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye for the minute of silence. She wanted to be sure he wasn't going to try something sneaky. Who knew what a punk like he would think of doing to a good girl like her? It rather worried her. Still, she would not budge.

Duncan whined softly. "Aw, come on Princess." He reached out for her upper arm. "Don't be that way. We're just having fun." He insisted, gripping her arm.

Courtney jumped in her skin at the warmness his hand put off even through her shirt. But mostly she was occupied by the fact he was touching her at all. "Fun!" She cried, slinging her arm to remove his hand. "It's not fun when one of us isn't happy!"

Duncan forced himself to keep his sad face visible. Her squawking made it increasingly hard. He just wanted to burst out laughing. "Princess…"

"Stop!" She shrieked, glad no one was here to hear right now. It was too early for anyone to be here but her and, for today, him. "I hate that stupid name!" She stomped her foot, jumping up into a standing position as if she might leave the class.

Duncan started, genuinely surprised. "Princess, what are you doing?" He jumped up, standing taller than her.

"Getting away from you." She hissed, leaning in close to his face. She could even feel his breath. It smelled of mint. Was he chewing gum? She shook the thought away from her and quickly turned on her heel, making her exit look even more real.

Duncan could scarcely believe she was so upset with his excessive use of her pet name that she would leave the class until it started. She couldn't do that. He wouldn't let her! "Courtney!" He said absently, reaching out and latching onto her wrist.

Courtney started as he used her real name. She even turned back in his direction ever so slightly, giving him enough time to bring her completely back.

Duncan pulled her back by her wrist, spinning her around so that she faced him. Not only that, but now they were so close that their bodies were a mere inch from touching. "Don't go." He said in his most seductive tone, staring intently down into her emerald eyes.

Courtney felt the breath sucked from her body, as if he had drained her of the ability to breathe. And yet she did not struggle to sustain her life. Her struggle lied in pulling away from him and escaping his strangely captivating eyes. They were so soft despite their hardness, so caring despite their disregard. They were so perfect…the perfect contradiction.

Duncan smirked confidently, moving an arm around her waist while being sure to keep one on her wrist. She might snap out of her daze at any given moment. "Stay with me." He purred, pulling her so that the little distance between them was closed. "Please."

Courtney opened and closed her mouth, trying to force angry words out of her throat. But the words always died before they passed her lips. All she could do was stare, standing limply in his arms. Since her mind was all that worked, she could do nothing more than wonder. She wondered if this was some kind of spell only punks could cast, or if Duncan himself had some sort of magic within him. They were the only possible explanations. How else could her trap her like this?

Duncan tentatively released her wrist, bringing his now free hand up to her face. He ran his fingers gently over her smooth skin, thinking all the while that she would snap out of it any second. If she was dumb enough to fall for him over a scene like this then she would not be half the fun that he'd previously thought she was.

Courtney shuddered as his warm fingers moved across her skin. She was so much colder than him. It was amazing that men, especially him, managed to remain so warm. More so it was amazing how he managed to be so bold, even when she knew he could not really love her. Seriously! Their bodies were **touching**! What guy would even think of doing such a thing for whatever convoluted reasons he had?

Duncan snickered under his breath. At this rate she would be his by the end of the week. Or sooner! "So sit with me." His minty breath breathed in her face.

Courtney took in his pleasant scent, figuring it would be one of the last times he would smell so good. As she was about to nod in agreement, she say from the corner of her eye a figure entering the room. Somehow that broke the spell he'd placed on her and she was finally able to react properly.

Duncan saw it in her eyes before she acted and was able to brace himself before she acted.

A fire flared in Courtney's eyes and an anger burned within her. "No!" She jerked her arms up and shoved him with all her might, flipping her hands about as if to shake his putrid touch off of her. "Get off of me! And sit yourself down!" She pointed with ferocity to his seat, daring him to deny her.

Duncan stumbled back despite his preparedness and couldn't help but scowl at her. She sure could be strong when she wanted to be. And it was no surprise that when it came to him her strength was unlocked. "Touch-y." He grumbled, his sly smile coming back to his lips as he seated himself.

Courtney moved her mouth in a mocking manner, no words coming out. She then sat down in her spot as well, new found anger never leaving her. "Just shut up." She hissed, once again refusing to turn to him.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Princess. You know you were about to do what I wanted, maybe even kiss me." He chuckled.

Courtney's eyes shot open and mouth fell agape. "W-What!" She half screamed, a blush rising to the surface of her face. "You're crazy!"

Duncan laughed at her embarrassment. "The only reason you didn't was because someone walked in. Dunno why that mattered, but even your subconscious didn't want it." He pointed out to the person now sitting at the front of the room.

Courtney seethed. "Shut up!" She demanded, slamming a fist down on the table. She instantly regretted it, an aching sensation hitting her after she hit the object harder than she should have.

Duncan was marginally concerned about her mild pain, but he quickly forgot about it. Instead he chose to mock her. "Wow. Smart move there Princess." He grinned wickedly. "But I don't think you are stronger than the table."

Courtney raised her hand as if to strike him, eyes ablaze, only stopping as she remembered the last time she'd hit him. That combined with the day she'd made fun of him for his bruise had her lowering her hand done to her lap and staring almost sadly away from him.

Duncan knew instantly what she was thinking and it made him grimace. He was glad that she at least could control herself, but still…she shouldn't have to worry about such a thing. "So, you doing anything after school?" He tried to change the topic of their minds, figuring teasing her was the best way.

Courtney sighed heavily, smiling despite herself. "Yes." She said without hesitation, foolishly turning to face him. "So no, I won't be going anywhere with you. And even if I was free, I wouldn't even think about it either."

Duncan grinned with immense amusement. "Of course you wouldn't." He laughed. "You're too good for a bad boy like me. Am I right?" He leaned in toward her again, wondering how far he could get without her freaking out again. He really did push things a little too far sometimes.

Courtney swallowed hard, eyeing him suspiciously. "Yeah…" She murmured, scooting her chair back away from him. The last thing she needed was him to get so close to her again. She'd barely been able to break free of his spell then, just image how impossible it would be the second time around.

He suddenly sat back up. "Which is too bad really." He sighed, feigning sadness by looking dejectedly away from her. "It would have been really fun."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "I'm sure." She growled, looking away from him again. He was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. If she even thought of going anywhere with him she was sure that something bad would happen as punishment for such evil thoughts. And worse, if she did go with him, he'd surely do something to her. She shuddered at the thought.

Duncan cocked a brow, staring curiously at her. "You cold?" He questioned with a sincerity uncommon to him.

Courtney was skeptical of his concern, but the way his eyes shined with unusual honesty quickly changed her attitude. "No, not really." She mumbled, averting her eyes. She couldn't tell him the real reason.

Duncan frowned deeply. "You can have my shirt if you wanted." He shrugged, nearly laughing out loud at the notion. It wasn't like they were alone here, and he didn't have anything else to wear. Still, it would certainly be funny. So for added effect he even started to lift it up over his head.

Courtney's mouth went agape and her eyes bulged out of her head. "No!" She cried shrilly, smacking at his hand. "Don't!" Her cheeks burned a bright red. "I'm not cold! Honest! Ju-Just put your shirt back on!" She pushed at his shirt to try and do it herself.

Duncan died laughing, nearly falling out of his seat in his amusement.

Courtney slapped her hands to her face to try and hide their crimson glow. Still, she knew he'd seen, otherwise he wouldn't be laughing half as hard. It didn't help that the instant she'd seen his well-built body she had thought of how perfect it was. What horrid thoughts!

"If you insist." He laughed, calming down enough to put his shirt back down into place. "But know you don't have to hesitate in asking. I'll more than gladly give it to you." He grinned wickedly.

Courtney's blush intensified despite her best efforts. "No!" She squeaked, shaking her head. "No…I don't want it." Her strength came back to her as she spoke her next words, making them quite firm. "Not now, not ever."

Duncan shrugged. "Ok. As you wish, Princess." He chuckled faintly, laughed out for the moment.

Courtney groaned. "Stop it." She turned away from him.

"No can do." He said simply, grin never fading. "If I did that, then what would I do for fun?" He poked her in the shoulder.

Courtney's body shook faintly as she turned on him. "You just wait!" She growled, a smug smirk forming. "When I tell Zane about your pervish behavior, he'll-!"

"Do nothing." Duncan finished for her.

Courtney started. "What?" She half laughed. "Zane may be your friend, but he's not only your friend. He'll stand up for me! If I don't like it, he'll-!"

"Do nothing." Duncan repeated, smirk never fading. He waited a moment to allow her to process this, then continued. "I'm not being any worse than I usually am. And you know it." His eyes narrowed at her, but while they were serious they were not mean. "You just think I am because, one – I left you alone for a class period. And two – you're paranoid that I'm still on about the dance."

"No!" She shook her head fervently. "That's ridiculous! Pure insanity!" Her words said one thing, but her mind screamed another. She knew it was true just as well as he knew it. Although, really, it had nothing to do will the lull and everything to do with the dance. It had shaken her world up so bad. Now everything he did seemed to be to try and bring her over to him, which made it all ten times worse when really it was all the same old same old.

Duncan nodded. "Uh-huh. Sure, you keep telling yourself that." He shrugged. "Maybe if you say it enough it'll become reality." He nearly started laughing at the stupidity of the notion.

Courtney went to bite back, stopping as she realized that he told no lies. Actually, despite her determination, she had eerily been thinking the exact same thing. Saying it wouldn't make it real. It was stupid to think otherwise. So she begrudgingly turned to face the front, hoping he'd leave her alone for at least a little while.

Duncan didn't much want to let her be. What fun was that? But something about her demeanor told him it would be most wise to do just that. So he let her be. Besides, he needed to learn **something** from the class.

**...**

He picked at her after that class every chance he got – in the hall, in fourth period and sixth, he even managed to catch her when she went to the library. She never would understand how he managed to do such a thing. It wasn't like he could read her mind or had a camera on her! And he didn't. He just had amazing foresight. But none of those incidents really mattered to her, nor did the ones that followed on the next few days. The next big move he pulled on her was late Friday. It was on their way to math class, and his last effort to impact her for the week.

"Ready to have some more fun in math?" He teased, not meaning the fun of boring math, more so the fun of being tortured by him.

"By fun I assume you mean the agony of your stupid flirting." She stated flatly, eyeing him angrily.

"Naturally." He grinned. "But agony?" His tone raised in pitch with his next words, almost sounding girly. 'Say it isn't so. Are my actions that horrible?" He didn't really care about the answer. The point of this wasn't to make her fall in love with him, it was to blind her enough to make her choose to go to the dance with him. And honestly not even that. He just enjoyed picking at her to no end. Zane's game was great!

Courtney snorted, lifting her head superciliously into the air. It was best if she didn't answer. She had found over the past two days that Duncan sought only to get a reaction from her, and with even the tiniest responses he could create a magnificent flame within her that made her react just as he wished.

Duncan smirked. "Too good to even talk to me anymore, huh?" His eyes hardened and he gave off the feeling of being angry. Really, he was all in good spirits. "Figures."

Courtney tentatively glanced from the corner of her eye at him. He was a class A manipulator, so she knew almost instinctively this was a trap. "Give it up, Duncan. You won't get me to go to that stupid dance with you."

Duncan hopped in her way, appearing to stand taller than usual as he forced himself not to slouch. "Dance?" He feigned innocence. "What dance?"

Courtney jumped backward, nearly running into him he had moved so fast. She quickly tried to move around him, not wanting to be late. When he acted flirty with her in the hall, she almost always ended up late. Not that she'd even put it that way to anyone who asked. They'd take it all the wrong way.

Duncan side stepped with her, smirking in amusement.

"Duncan, move." She tried to get by him again, getting more annoyed by the second.

Duncan placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her backwards and into one of the lockers lining the sides. "No." He shook his head, letting his arms drop down to the locker space by her waist to create a corral to trap her in.

"Duncan!" She stamped a foot. "We're going to be late." She whined, pushing and pulling at one of his arms. "Again!"

Duncan leaned his forehead on the locker above her head so that he could feel her hair tickling parts of his face. "So?" He turned her back around so that she was facing him, eyes dancing with life. "It won't hurt anything." His voice was as smooth as ever.

"But it will!" Courtney insisted, trying to keep her focus. Whenever he pulled a stunt like this she almost always lost her grip on the world. So far he hadn't ever done it when no one was around, so she snapped out of it. But here, once everyone cleared the halls, who knew what she'd do.

He shook his head. "Nah." He breathed, bringing his corral closer around her so that his hands need only curl away from their support to wrap around Courtney. "It's nothing."

Courtney averted her gaze, realizing by now that his eyes were what held his power. As long as she did not stare directly into them, she would be alright. "Let me go." She said with little conviction, losing this battle just like she did every other one.

Duncan let one wall of his corral break in order to wrap it around her tiny waist and pull her closer. As he pulled her he raised his head off the locker, tilting his head down as his only way to see directly into her eyes from their positions. "What if I don't want to?" He questioned in a way that seemed to be lust to Courtney. Really it was just his eagerness of having something more to hold over her head.

Courtney swallowed hard, turning her head all the way to her left. Now he could do nothing. His powers did not work unless looked straight on!

Duncan chuckled faintly at her lame attempts. She had the right idea, he had to admit, but they were executed so poorly. She was trapped. Little could save her here, out in these empty halls. "Are you afraid?" He pressed, moving the other half of his corral up to hold onto her chin and bring her head back to face him.

Courtney was instantly frozen, mesmerized as always. His teal eyes shone with the ever familiar softness. Zane had told her just yesterday that when Duncan looked at her he saw something he'd never seen in his eyes before. It almost made her wonder…was he for real?

Duncan let his hand on her chin fall down to his side. There was no need to hold her now; she was perfectly trapped in him. "Do you want me?" He breathed a forbid phrase – one that held many meanings, most of them dark and sinful.

Courtney started, nearly snapping out of it. But her eyes drew her back in and all she could do was shrink away slightly. Nothing else she thought to do made her body work.

"You fear me." He stated plainly, eyes almost sad.

Courtney was drawn in further as his was transformed in sadness. In this state of captivation, his sadness hurt her more than a knife to her heart. Perhaps it was her heart's desire, one that she managed to hide when in a properly functioning state of mind. But she couldn't be sure. "No…"

"Promise?" He chided.

She nodded ever so slightly, lost for words.

"Then prove it." He dared, gaze intensifying. "Show me you aren't afraid of me." He brought his still hand up to the back of her head and ran his fingers through her silky hair.

"How?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. In her state she didn't know what he could be talking about, but she'd be more than willing to do it.

He could scarcely believe she had just asked him that. Her words were like the opening of a door that had been locked for an eternity. He could say anything, he could tell by the look in her eyes, and she would doubtlessly do it. He almost thought it selfish of him, but he quickly shrugged off such an idea. Instead he focused only on what this meant for him – him and this game. "Kiss me." He smirked.

Courtney started faintly, suddenly indecisive. No…she shouldn't. She could feel the logical part of her screaming to not dare do it. But somehow no matter how loud the screams were she could not listen. She wanted to do it…at least she thought she did. Some part of her must, otherwise she wouldn't find it so hard to listen to logic. Deep within there must be a lustful ache that wanted to kiss him.

"Princess…?" He breathed, raising a questioning brow.

"I…" She still could not act. Kiss or not to kiss…? A thought itched at the back of her brain that told her regret would surely follow if she kissed this boy, and yet… "I don't…" She tried to speak again, failing miserably.

"Kiss me." He repeated, drawing her even closer to his body. This would be amazing. He would have the perfect leverage over her after this and then she would have no choice but to go to the Halloween dance with him. Most importantly – he'd win the game! That's all that really mattered. After all, that's all this was, him and her – a game.

Courtney couldn't bear the clashing in her mind and just wanted it all to end. So with one last reprimanding of her thoughts she lifted herself up on her toes so that she might reach him.

Duncan leaned down an inch or so, not wanting to be the one to initiate it. If he did, his claims would mean nothing. She'd simply say he took advantage of her, and really he was doing that either way.

Courtney hesitated one second more, their lips lingering no more than an inch apart. And it was this split second of hesitation that ultimately saved her.

From seemly nowhere a bewildered cry issued forth. "Courtney?"

Courtney snapped out of her daze in a moment's notice, her cheeks glowing a bright red instantly after. She squealed in a high pitch and jerked backward, breathing elevated.

Zane walked nonchalantly up to them, unable to hide the shock from his face. "What are you two-"

'Nothing!" Courtney interjected, pushing at Duncan to get him good and away from her. Nothing!" She repeated, trying to force the color in her face away. "So don't you **dare** say otherwise!" She stormed over to him and got in his face. "Got it!"

Zane drew back, knowing better than to mess with an angry girl. This was especially important to conform to since it was Courtney they were talking about. She was a firecracker. "Uh-huh." He nodded slowly, almost afraid to move.

She growled loudly, stomping by him. "I was just going to math!" She yelled back over her shoulder as if the words might stand as an alibi.

Duncan snorted once she'd disappeared around the corner. "You're only five minutes too late for that." He spoke as if she could hear, knowing very well she could not.

Zane stared after her for a minute until silence had sunk in and he finally turned to Duncan. He did not dare break the silence though; he simply crossed his arms over his chest and gave Duncan a questioning look.

Duncan overlooked Zane's expression for a moment, focusing on the direction Courtney had taken. Perhaps he could further her embarrassment by bursting into math class late. As the idea faded and he decided he would bug her as school ended, he finally noticed Zane had not moved. He blinked in confusion at him, smiling falsely. "What?"

Zane snorted, rolling his eyes. "Don't what me." He chortled. "You know exactly what I'm saying here." He did not literally need to speak for Duncan to know, but he knew Duncan would likely comment on his lack of words anyway.

"Saying?" He made a face. "You haven't said anything." He half laughed.

Zane gave him a look that said 'are you stupid?'

"Whatever! I was just doing as you said and playing the game!" He insisted heatedly, glaring at Zane. If he didn't like the way he chose to play, that was his problem.

"I didn't mean you have to corner her in the hall like that." He protested. "You know she hates being late for class! It's practically suicide on you part!"

Duncan grinned wickedly, faint laughter spilling from his lips. "Not the way I was seeing it." He laughed a little louder. "In fact, things were going quite swimmingly." His eyes hardened and he glared at Zane. "Until **you** showed up."

"What? Me? How is that?" Zane made a face, frowning deeply. "I didn't do anything."

"You talked!" Duncan pointed an accusing finger at him.

"What?" Zane half laughed. "Talked? Are you kidding me? Why in the world does that matter in the grand scheme of things?" He truly didn't understand. "If she was so under your spell, something so insignificant shouldn't make a difference."

Duncan shook his head and did a face palm. "You are so stupid sometimes." He sighed, lifting his head back up to look disapprovingly at his friend. "My 'spell' doesn't hold with her like most girls when she catches sight of someone around other than her and me."

Zane stared at Duncan for a moment as if he didn't believe it and was waiting for a punch line of some sort. When it never came, he finally burst into laughter. "You're serious!" He spit out, nearly falling over in his hysteria. "Oh my God! Wow!"

Duncan shot daggers at Zane, his mouth twitching in anger. "It's not funny." He growled. "It's just the truth."

"I know!" Zane continued laughing. "That's why it's so funny! Man! Courtney…she's great." He slowly started to calm down.

Duncan crossed his arms, tapping his foot and fingers impatiently. There was no use talking when Zane got like this. When he fully calmed down he'd go on.

Zane held his head, laughter finally dying down. "Wow." He shook his head, grinning widely. "But what'd I tell you. She's not like other girls."

Duncan nodded. After a week of going at her, this much he could wholeheartedly agree with. "Yeah. Any other girl in this school would have jumped at the chance to go out with Duncan the bad boy." He grinned despite himself.

Zane snorted. "Courtney is definitely not easily swayed." He figured if he himself got the courage to ask her, she'd say yes though. He had the kind of sweet and innocent personality that she wouldn't mind being with. "Although I must say, I'm surprised any level of your charm works on her. How'd you do it?"

Duncan smirked deviously. "It's all in the eyes." He motioned to his eyes. "All I have to do is get her to look deep in them and she's mine." He snickered. "It's worked twice this week, first Monday and then today."

"Hm…" He tapped his finger thoughtfully on his chin. "Well, I'm pretty impressed. Even though that method is pretty cheesy." He chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up!" Duncan snapped, scowling darkly at Zane. "At least it works!"

"Of course! Of course!" Zane nodded, eyes bright with life as his smile grew by the second.

Besides," He grinned. "Every girl has a weakness."

Zane nodded. It was true. No girl was completely immune to the spell of love boys put off. Courtney was pretty good at resisting, but she had moments of weakness like everyone else. She was especially weak when she felt she hurt you or when she herself was hurt. Zane thought to tell Duncan this now, but he quickly shook the notion off. It would be treachery. Besides…Duncan would surely figure it out on his own. He was too smart not to.

Duncan's eyes caught fire and his mouth turned down into a sharp frown suddenly, his fists clenched tightly. "And I would have had her too! But you had to show up and ruin it!" He almost wanted to take Zane by the shirt and shake him like crazy.

Zane saw Duncan's intent in his eyes and quickly backed up a space. "Hey! Woah! I didn't know." He assured. "Otherwise I would have never said anything. I was just…so surprised."

"Yeah! Well now I'm back to square one with nothing to hold over her head for these next few weeks!" His mouth twitched and eyes narrowed into thin slits. "So! What are you gonna do about it!" He stared Zane down.

Zane swallowed hard. "I don't know." He shrugged, ducking his head. "But I mean…if you could do it once, why not just do it again?" He grinned sheepishly.

Duncan's glare intensified. "Do you know how long it took me to get this moment to happen? All week! That's how long!" He crossed his arms firmly over his chest.

Zane thought hard and fast on what might possibly make up for his misstep. "Look…I'm sorry…" He stumbled along with his words.

Duncan shook his head. "Don't care. I want something to help with her." He smirked. "Now."

Zane looked all around him as if the answer lied within the halls. Then it dawned on him what the perfect repayment would be. It would make Courtney hate him if she ever found out, but it was all he had. "I…I could tell you where she lives." He blurted out, half regretting it.

A light came to Duncan's eyes and all anger was wiped from his face. "Really?" He cried, smile stretching clear across his face. "You'd do that?" He could scarcely believe it.

Zane nodded slowly and carefully. "Yeah…" What was he doing? He had to be insane. It was almost a death wish. But which was worse – death by Courtney, or by Duncan?

"Well, I guess that'll do." He chuckled. "Just write it down for me. And…maybe some details of the house, just in case."

Zane half smiled, digging for a piece of paper in his pockets. He was so going to die. He could feel it in his bones. It was all over for him. Then he thought of something. "But only if you promise not to tell her it was me!"

Duncan frowned deeply, contemplating the idea. He had been hoping that he might be able to rub it in her face that her best friend gave her away to **his** best friend. It would be a great loss not to be able to make her squirm like he knew it would, and yet…

"Duncan." Zane half whined, his eyes wide and pleading. "Come on, please…?"

Duncan sighed heavily. "Fine, alright." He smirked. "Getting to bug her every day is more than worth it." He chuckled almost darkly.

Zane brightened slightly. "Ok!" He found paper and a pencil and scribbled down the address as well as a short description of the house plus a small bit of directions. Duncan never was good with finding things, especially places he had never been before. Only once he'd been there did it become ingrained in his mind. "Here you go."

Duncan nodded in appreciation, taking the paper gladly. "Thanks, buddy." He held out a hand for a high five.

Zane grimaced faintly before perking back up and returning Duncan's sentiments. "No problem." He smiled with sincerity. Yet despite his true feeling, there was still that nagging in the back of his mind that told him he had done wrong by Courtney. If he wouldn't betray Duncan's secret…then how could he betray Courtney's home which was surely just as important a secret when it came to Duncan finding it?

"I'm gonna go get ready for this now." Duncan smiled darkly, staring intently at the piece of paper with the most vital information on it. He would surely use this to its full potential. Courtney would be so mad. It would be great!

Zane wagged a finger at him. "Just be careful." He warned. "You know she has a short fuse. So if you go invading her space she might just put you in your place and kick your butt." He smirked in amusement at the thought. "And with your rule about hurting women, you'd have to take it."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. I could overpower her without hurting her. I'm too strong not to."

Zane shrugged. "Just saying. You better be prepared." He turned around and started walking down the hall. He really needed to get to class. Then he stopped, a shiver running up his spine. "And…watch out for her mom."

Duncan noticed his sudden seriousness and almost became worried. "What do you mean?" He half laughed. "She can't be that bad."

Zane looked over his shoulder, grimacing. "Oh, trust me, she can." He bit his lip. "I've met her. And she is worse than Courtney in her worst moments."

Duncan started slightly. Her mom…worse? How was that possible? He shook his head. "Whatever. It's not like I'm going to go barging into her house. I'll be sneakier than that." He promised, smiling once more.

Zane smiled back. "Alright. Just be careful." He started off again, going around the corner to his last class.

Duncan snorted. Be careful? Yeah, whatever. He'd be fine. No old lady would get the best of him. Besides, his target was only her daughter – Courtney. He was sure he could easily get her attention from outside the house. It was no problem.

He nodded firmly, face set in pleased determination. "Now, time to do this." He knew he'd need to leave now in order to get to her place before too long. So he wouldn't go to math. Courtney wouldn't miss him. And besides, Courtney would get to see him again real soon. So if she did muss him, it would be alright.

So he set off down the hall to the back exit of the school. If he went the front way, someone would surely see him. And he prepared himself for the hours of walking. But the distance didn't bother him. It took hours to walk to the skate park. And this walk would be worth so much more than skating. He just knew it.

**How was it? Tell me all about it - your likes, dislikes, and anything else! So, please review! :D**


	15. Surprise, Surprise

**This update is about half of what I intended the length to be. I just figured this was a good stop for now. I'm sure when you see the next chapter you'll see how they went together, but if you don't that's fine too. I hope you enjoy. :)**

Courtney was flustered as she finally settled down on her bed after what felt like the longest day ever. It didn't help that she could not get herself to forget about Duncan. Even though she knew he had been at school, he didn't show up in sixth period. She'd almost say that he did it on purpose to remain in her mind over the weekend. It was ridiculous!

She sighed heavily, banging her head against her pillow. At least this was softer and safer than a wall. Although it didn't reprimand her like the wall would. Honestly, her mother would be the best for that, but she didn't want to deal with her right now. She'd gotten a text from her mother ranting about the awful day she had, so she almost didn't know if she would go to dinner. Pop-tarts would do just fine.

However, in all seriousness she just wanted to lay here and sleep for the rest of the day. And it was only four. It made her feel old. Still, in the end it mattered little. If she wanted sleep, then she would let herself have it. No insignificant thoughts such as age would get to her.

And in a matter of minutes she had drifted off to sleep, unaware that a mere hour later she would be getting the surprise of her life.

Courtney's dreams took her to her old home, back where she had many friends. They were all crowded on her bed in her old room, laughing as they mixed conversation with homework. Despite the giveaways of the falseness of the situation, she was too happy to notice. She really thought she was there, her new life the dream.

"Hey, Courtney!" One of her friends cried, smiling widely.

Courtney turned her head, grinning the same as her friend. "Yeah?" She chirped. "What is it?"

"Um…" She giggled sheepishly.

Courtney raised a brow, frowning faintly. "What?" She half laughed.

The girl looked anywhere but at Courtney. "Well…I…um…" She didn't know how to say what she wanted, not sure she really wanted to go through with this.

Courtney stared blankly at her. "Come on!" Courtney snapped. "Just say it." She shook her head. "You're acting too weird."

Another girl burst out laughing, nearly falling out of the bed. "She's trying to ask you whether you're crushing on that punk Jeramy!" She burst out.

"Mia!" The girl whined. "Why'd you go and say that for! I didn't want to be so blunt!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

The girl giggled, covering her mouth with her hands to try and stifle it. "Well, it had to be said." She muttered through her fingers.

Courtney blushed fiercely. "W-What!" She spluttered, forcing the blush down. "Why would I want anything to do with that Neanderthal!" She stuck her tongue out and made gagging noises. "He's so immature!"

A third girl sighed contentedly. "Yeah…but he's **so** hot…" She breathed, smiling with infatuation.

Mia laughed even harder, falling off the bed. "Hilarious!" She shrieked, rolling around on the floor.

"What!" The third said, puffing out her lower lip. "It's true."

Mia picked herself back up, grinning brightly. "I know, I know. That's why it's funny!"

Courtney stared wide eyed at them. "Guys!" She half whined. "How can you say that? He's nothing but a no good punk!"

The first girl shrugged. "Maybe. But that doesn't make him any less attractive." She admitted, smiling shyly.

Courtney's mouth went agape. "You too Christian?" She couldn't believe them. They were insane! It was as if they'd fallen and suffered brain damage.

Christian shrugged. "Sorry, Court. I can't help it."

"So…you don't think so?" The first girl asked tentatively. Even as her friend she kind of feared Courtney's wrath.

Courtney snorted, rolling her eyes. "Of course not!" She said, holding her head up high. "I could never fall for a creep like him. It's immoral and out of the question." She paused as if she might leave it at that, deciding after a moment that she would add. "And besides, girls like us deserve better."

Mia shook her head back and forth in disbelief. "You're so weird sometimes. You know that?" She almost started laughing again. "I mean, it's not like we're going to marry these guys. It's just some fun teen romance." She sighed. "**Really** fun."

Christian sucked in a breath. "You don't mean…?"

Mia nodded. "Sure, why not?" She grinned. "It won't kill us or anything. Besides, we're not Jesus, we make mistakes."

The first girl almost had a heart attack at the mention of such a thing. "Bu-But…it's still bad." She squeezed out.

"I agree." Courtney said sternly, nodding firmly. "It's a sin. You have to be married." She hissed, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"HA!" Mia couldn't believe how religious these two of her friends were. "If you aren't having a bit of fun, then you aren't living! And who wants to be tied down in marriage anyway?" She made a face. "Better to be free!"

Courtney gripped the sheets tight, about ready to bust a gasket. Only as she took a deep breath did she cool down. "People who say that are just as bad as the punks themselves." She growled. "When you give in to them like that, letting them take you in body and mind, you're just a slave to your hormones."

Mia scowled faintly. "You're too uptight." She snorted, shoving her nose in the air.

"Am not!" Courtney snapped, a whiny tone ever present.

"But no matter." Mia smiled almost evilly. "One day you'll understand. You'll run into some 'punk' that takes your breath away and sweeps you clear off your feet." She sighed dreamily, clasping her hands. "Then you'll see what I'm talking about. You just can't resist them."

Courtney's face burned red in a mixture of rage and embarrassment. "No way!" She shook her head fervently, eyes ablaze. "It'll never happen to me! Never!"

Mia burst out laughing, nearly falling over for the umpteenth time. "You'll see." She cackled. "You'll see the appeal…the lure." Her face went serious all of a sudden and she leaned I close to Courtney.

Courtney frowned deeply, edging away from her scrutinizing gaze. She hated when Mia got this way.

Suddenly the dream became twisted, the memory turning itself into a nightmare. "You'll see." She hissed, her face becoming contorted, everything about her changing drastically.

Courtney jumped in her skin, pressed up against the wall. "M-Mia?" She breathed.

When Mia's form stopped moving she was no longer herself. Her face was manly and her ordinary, well pressed clothes were dark and joltingly familiar. She was shaken even further as she fully realized who sat before.

"D-Duncan…" She started, eyes wide and mouth agape. No…this was not a part of any place in her life. This was not real…this didn't belong in her happy scene with her friends. No!

"Hey Princess." He chuckled, leaning in even closer to her. "What's up?"

Courtney tensed instantly, regaining her composure. "No!" She screamed. "Go away! Get out of her! I'm with my friends!"

"Friends?" He chided, laughing almost darkly. "What friends? No one wants to be your friend." He said with cruelness that Courtney had only heard when they'd first known each other. "I'm all you have."

Courtney shook her head slowly. "No…" She moaned, tears welling in her beautiful emerald eyes. "No!"

Duncan nodded. "Yes." He hissed, showing her his trademark smirk. "All you have…"

"No!" Courtney gripped her head, shaking it violently back and forth to try and rid herself of this insanity. Despite her best efforts, nothing happened. His words continuously echoed about her. _All you have… _"Mia…Christian…everybody…"

Duncan pursed his lips as if to taunt her further. But instead of words coming out of his mouth, there was a faint clicking. It was as if he was tapping his tongue on the roof of his mouth.

Courtney made a face, her hysteria dying some. "What?" She started, cocking her head as a faint chuckle passed her lips. "I don't…"

Duncan tried to say something again, but the clicking continued. The longer it went on, the more faded this world became. The colors began to swirl together and all natural sounds fell away. She was quickly falling into darkness. The only thing remaining was the clicking.

Then she woke up. She jolted up in her bed, her eyes wide and breathing irregular. She looked wildly around the room. It took a moment due to her confusion, but through the haze of her mind she recognized the clicking from her dream.

Her eyes shifted to the window. It seemed to be the source of the noise. She made a face. What the hell? That was not a normal sound. Windows didn't just clink for no reason. She shook her head. Was there someone there?

She slowly slipped from her bed and walked tentatively to the window. She was quite afraid of what she would see. That is until she saw it. Once she saw through the glass and down to the ground she lost all fear, unimaginable shock and anger filling her instead. "Duncan!"

"Finally." He sighed, shaking his head. "It took you long enough!" He yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth to help his voice carry.

Courtney gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "What the hell are you doing at my house!" She seethed, looking about ready to burst.

Duncan shrugged. "I thought I'd surprise you." It was hard not to laugh at his choice of words. It was all so convoluted. Surely she'd see it too.

"Yeah! Well good job!" She snapped, running her fingers through her hair. "You successfully scared me to death by **stalking** me!" Her eyes were ablaze.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Don't be so psycho about it." He half laughed. "If you're not careful you might blow your head off or destroy the world with its explosion."

Courtney stamped her foot with immense rage. She then snapped her hands out and jerked the window open. She was getting tired of yelling through glass. "Shut up!" She bellowed, leaning out the window. "I'm not a psycho!

"Uh-huh." He nodded slowly, a laugh in his smile and tone. "So says the girl as she screams to the high heavens." He snickered, putting a hand over his mouth to try and hide it.

"Shut up!" Courtney was going to kill whoever told this lunatic where she lived. They were dead. Nothing could save them. "How the hell did you find my house!"

"I'm amazing." He put a hand in front of his stomach and bowed. "I'm even better than a magician. Magic doesn't have anything on me."

"Get out!" She pointed out to the distance. "Get out now!"

Duncan frowned deep and looked away as if thinking hard about it. "Hmm…no." He shook his head. "No, I don't think I will." He walked closer to her house.

Courtney watched him blankly for a moment. As much as she hated him being here she couldn't help but wonder what getting closer to her house would accomplish. Only as he came all the way up to her house did she understand.

Duncan gripped the vines growing up the side of the house to her window, not even thinking to test the sturdiness of it. He pulled himself upward and started to climb like a monkey. He had no problem scaling the two story building.

Courtney started. "Hey!" She snapped. "What do you think you're doing!" There was no way he was getting in her house. If her mother ever found out then she would be dead. Just imagine…a bad boy…in her house…her mother gone. She shuddered at the thought. The only problem was she wasn't sure if it was from revulsion or pleasure.

Duncan grinned up at her. "What does it look like?" He was nearly to her window. "I'm obviously trying to fly to the moon."

"Ha ha ha." Courtney growled with unamused aggravation. "Get down!"

Duncan shook his head. "I told you before, no thanks Princess." He grabbed for the last piece of vine, ready to thrust himself up the remaining space. As he pulled down hard he felt no resistance and there was a faint tearing noise.

Courtney was still yelling and did not notice. She probably wouldn't have noticed even if Duncan had left.

Duncan's left side was jerked downward, leaving his one hand to hold up his whole body. He swallowed hard, trying to pull himself back even. Unfortunately his remaining support was too weak for all of him and it too snapped.

Duncan fell with a loud thud to the ground. He even groaned softly on impact despite his best attempts to brace for the fall.

Courtney jumped as she noticed his figure suddenly go down. She blinked a couple times in confusion and then bent over the window to get a better look. There he was, on the ground. She didn't mean to, but seeing him that way cracked her up.

Duncan scowled at her. Of course she would laugh now. "What's so funny?" He growled. Normally he would laugh it off, but right now he felt a sharp pain.

She held her head and struggled not to fall over. "S-Sorry!" She cackled. "But it's just too funny seeing you on your ass like that!" She finally leaned too far back and fell over.

"Thanks." He quipped sarcastically. "I'm glad there's someone who cares."

As Courtney got back up with the help of the window sill she was still laughing. "Oh, stop it." She waved his words away. "If you wanted someone to care you shouldn't have come here!"

In a way she was right. He hadn't come here to make her care either. Yet somehow her words still stung. A downcast expression even flickered across his face. Perhaps he thought she at least cared a little.

"So, are you gonna try that again?" Her laughs were slowly dying down. "Next time, be sure to fall on your head. I hear that hurts less."

"Would you shut up!" He snapped, grabbing a decent sized rock from beside him and flinging it at her. He didn't want to hurt her, but he much preferred her yelling to her taunting.

Courtney made a sharp yelp as she saw the object coming for her. She then threw her hands over her head and ducked down. Only after a few seconds did she come back up, her face contorted with rage. "What the hell!" She spat. "Are you trying to kill me! That thing was-"

She stopped short as she noticed what he was doing. He had the hand he'd used to throw the rock cradled in the other hand. He rubbed the cradled hand methodically, his face stretched out in a grimace.

Courtney stared for a moment in confusion. "Uh…what are you doing?" He tone had lost its harshness. All that remained now was a perplexing feeling.

Duncan scowled with immense dislike up at her. "Why do you care?" He seethed, his teeth gritted to both hold his tongue and make the pain appear to be less than it was. "You just want me gone from your house."

Courtney ignored his snide words, focusing harder on his hand. "Did you hurt it?" She said with amazing softness.

Duncan fell victim to her sweet voice. "Maybe." He grumbled, looking away from her. There was no way he was going to admit it. If she wanted to know the truth she would have to come down here herself and see.

Courtney nodded almost unnoticeably. "Ok." She spun around quickly and ran deeper into her house. She was just glad her mother wasn't here. Their yelling and then her inexplicable actions now would surely make her suspicious.

Duncan started at the speed in which she disappeared. "Hey!" He called after he snapped out of his confusion. "Where are you going! Are you just gonna leave me!" He seethed in his spot, thinking of breaking his rule and hitting her. It wouldn't be too hard, but…

Then she was there again. Her hands however were now full with many objects. "Alright." She breathed, backing up as if to jump.

Duncan's eyes grew wide as he realized her intentions. "Are you insane?" He cried. "You can't jump with all that! You'll break something!"

Courtney laughed in a way that Duncan deemed cute. "You worry too much." She hadn't exactly practiced jumping with so much stuff in her arms, but she had run away enough to know how to jump, even from a two story building.

"Courtney!" He tried to reason with her. "Come on! It's dangerous!"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Aw, aren't you sweet." She said in mock flattery. She backed up a little further and then realized she needed to be up on the sill. She moved to do so and quickly leapt from the window.

Duncan gawked as she landed expertly. He had never seen a person, a girl no less, do it so well. He wasn't even sure he could do it so well. At least, it had been a while since last he tried it. Still, he forced his amazement down. He refused to let her believe she was cool.

"Well, how was that?" She teased, tapping him on the nose as she set her things down.

Duncan pulled away from her, straining his wrist in the process. He cringed noticeably, his mouth turning into a deep frown.

"Stop moving." She scolded, sending him a stern glare. "Or do you want to be in pain?" She grimaced at the thought. She wondered for a split second if he was suicidal. She shook her head. No…of course not.

"What if I don't want to stop moving?" He questioned, doing anything to stir her up.

"Then I'll make you." Only as the words were out of her mouth did she realize how wrong they sounded. "And no! Not like that!"

Duncan chuckled. "I don't see any other way." He teased. "You'd surely have to pin me down." The thought was quite interesting. It wouldn't be so bad.

"Shut up." She smacked him in the hand as she sat down.

Duncan's eyes grew a million times larger and he struggled to hold in a scream. He had to bite his lip down hard to accomplish this.

Courtney cringed. "See? That's what will happen." Despite her words she felt genuinely bad for mistakenly hitting his hand. She had meant to hit the other one. She had just forgotten which was which since he wasn't holding it anymore.

"Bitch." He hissed under his breath.

Courtney started. "What?" She shrieked, slamming a hand down on the ground. "I am not!" She had heard that word floating around her for so many reasons the past couple of months that it stung quite badly.

Duncan sensed his misstep and scrambled to fix it. "Whatever." He rose to his feet. "Just let me go home."

Courtney scowled with pure hatred at him. "No!" She barked, jumping up and snatching his good wrist. "You aren't going anywhere!" She jerked him back down, not realizing he let her take him.

Duncan smirked. I he had wanted to he could have resisted. But this was her idea. He would let her regret it later.

Courtney sighed in frustration as she situated herself. "Now let me see it." She muttered, reaching out for his hand. She didn't want to just grab it; she wanted it to be a mutual thing, almost like a kiss.

Duncan hesitated, not sure if he wanted to trust her with this. It was probably something for a doctor. Who knows what she'd do. She didn't exactly like him. Still, in the end, he gave in. He let his hand fall into hers.

Courtney had never planned to hurt him. That would be cruel. She was actually mildly offended by his hesitation. "My mother is a doctor." She muttered absently as she turned his hand over in hers.

Duncan cringed every minute of her action. It didn't hurt all that bad, but pain was pain no matter how little. "I know doctors too, but that doesn't make me one."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She scoffed, poking his wrist.

"Oooow…" He moaned.

She stifled a giggle. "It's not broken." She decided after a minute more. "You're not reacting badly enough. It's probably a sprain." She set his hand down. "It should be better in a couple of weeks."

"So it's supposed to be purple." He said in disbelief. It had started to swell.

"Yes." Courtney nodded. "That's what this is for." She drew a pack of ice from her things. She then wordlessly grabbed his wrist again and held it to it.

Duncan shuddered as it touched him. He was much warmer and the cold was extremely unwanted. Still, it did make his wrist feel better, even if just a little.

Courtney held it for a few minutes before she decided to do something else. She put the ice on the ground and grabbed cream colored bandages from the pile.

"Are you kidding me?" Duncan sighed. "I have to wear that thing around school!"

Courtney nodded as she started to wrap it gently but firmly. "Yes, for two weeks."

Duncan's mouth fell agape. "What!" His cry echoed around them. "No." He shook his head, laughing bitterly. "No freaking way. Do you know what people will say!"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "I can imagine." She growled, thinking back to when he had ruined her life. "But I'm sure you'll come up with some amazing story to make them forget." She grimaced. "Unlike me…" Her voice was barely audible because she intended for him not to hear.

Duncan cringed. "Look…" He muttered. "Don't be that way." His words weren't quite what he intended.

"What way?" She grumbled, finishing the bandage off. "I'm just trying to make you feel better." She let go of his hand, not caring if it hit the ground or not.

Duncan sighed. She was so unbelievable. "That way." He pointed with his good hand. "You always get so depressed." He actually felt himself hating the thought of her depressed.

Courtney snorted. "I'm not depressed." She stood up, holding her head up to the sky superciliously. "I'm just tired of being stalked is all."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "You're so full of shit." He stood up.

"Excuse me!" She snapped. He had the worst language of any guy she'd ever met.

"You are depressed. Maybe it's not from me and school, maybe it is. But either way, it's there." He gave her a stern look. "Sometimes you look ok, but you're not. One only has to look in your eyes to see it."

"Shut up." She growled, swallowing hard. "And just get out of my yard."

Duncan tentatively stepped toward her. He could never be sure of what she really meant. Sometimes she was serious with her words, but other times she secretly wanted someone to lean on. "Not yet." He said softly.

Courtney bit her lip. "Go away." She whined, averting her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at him right now. First she caused him to sprain his wrist and now she had somehow gotten him wrapped up in her problems. She was such trouble.

Duncan took another step. He wrapped an arm carefully about her shoulder and pulled her closer. "You know I don't like seeing you this way." He barely knew what he was saying. He loved to torture her. And yet…it was true. Seeing her truly upset made him ache. But why?

Courtney whimpered softly, laying her head in the crook of his neck. What was she doing? She was letting him take advantage of her again. She needed to stop. She needed to yell at him to go away. Yet she didn't want to. Somehow the way he held her, even this loosely, was comforting.

Duncan didn't know what else to say. She had not responded and so he was left with nothing. All he could do was stand with her leaning on him in utter silence.

"Duncan…" She breathed after what seemed like forever.

Duncan was mildly surprised by the break in silence. "What?"

"Why are you doing this?" She murmured, feeling very drowsy after their long silence mixed with his warm body. "You don't care about me…" She shook her head. "So why?"

Duncan swallowed hard. It's the fun of the game. That's what he would say if it were anyone else. But this was not anyone else. This was Courtney. So instead he told the truth. "I don't know." He mumbled. He really didn't know. Heck, he didn't even understand. There was definitely something wrong with him. That was the only logical explanation.

"Me either." Her voice was becoming soft as she dozed.

Duncan sensed her tiredness and thought fleetingly that he might carry her back to her room. He was halfway through the action when a sound caught his attention. It seemed to be the screech of tires as they turned. And they sounded awfully close.

Courtney turned her head slightly toward the sound. "Hm?" It took but a moment more for her to snap out of it. Her eyes snapped open and her heart skipped a beat. "Oh no…" She breathed.

Duncan stared strangely at her. "What?"

"Get out." She said softly at first.

"Huh?"

Courtney jerked out of his hold and spun around to face him. "Go!" She cried in a hushed tone. "Now! You've just got to go!" She pleaded, the sound of a door opening reaching her.

"Why?" Duncan made a face. "What's the matter?" He was actually genuinely concerned. She had been fine a mere moment ago.

"Go!" She said again, pushing him. "You have to get out of here before she comes!"

"She?" He cocked his head, slowly letting her push him by inches.

"My mom." Her voice was horrified and strained.

Her mom? Zane had warned him about her. So even Courtney was afraid of her. Was she really so bad? He found it hard to believe. Mothers were the most nurturing people on the planet. It was the fathers who were the ones to fear. "But…"

"Go-o-o!" She choked out in a desperate whiny tone.

Duncan's heart ached seeing her reduced to this, so he headed her request. "Alright, alright." He sighed in defeat. "I'll go." He turned away to head home, stopping to look over his shoulder and add, "But don't think I won't come back." He grinned wickedly.

Courtney was too distressed to really care. Her voice only held a small hint of displeasure. "Go!" She pointed, stomping a foot.

Duncan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever, Princess." He smiled to himself. She was nearly his. All he had to overcome was her mother. And how delightful that would be. She was surely as much a ray of sunshine as her daughter.

The thought tickled him. He only wondered what the circumstances of their meeting would be.

**So, how was it? What was your favorite moment? Did you have any problems with it? Constructive criticism is much appreciated. Please review! :D**


	16. Always There

**It wasn't quite as connected as I thought it'd be, but it still goes with the 'theme' of the last chapter. Just read it and see.**

He came as he promised he would every day for the next week and a half. He didn't try to climb through her window again because he still could not put much pressure on his wrist, but that didn't stop him from pestering her. He could do that just as easily on the ground.

Courtney hated each and every visit. She wanted to sprain his other wrist so that he might not be able to come. She didn't really think about the fact his legs were what carried him here. She was just incredibly flustered. However, not even she could keep up her hatred forever.

After about half a week she started leaving her window open and waiting by it, knowing he would come. In all honesty, she was pretty used to his presence by now. He had integrated himself into her routine, her life even. She would almost say his absence would sadden her at this point.

In fact, she had learned a few things from their conversations. His favorite color was teal, he seemed to have a disdain for his father, he loved skateboarding, and he had a scar on the back of his neck. The last one she had learned by dropping out of her window. It had been near the end of the week and a half and he had not been pleased. Actually, he had thrown a fit.

Only once she told him it was cool did he calm down a little. The scary thing for her was that she really meant it. She had hated scars not long ago, associating them with troubled people and punks. And Duncan was a punk. Yet it wasn't the same. Something about his mark was different.

It was only as the end of the second week approached that the routine was broken by the both of them. Courtney was not waiting for Duncan by the window and Duncan was not on time. They both had an issue to deal with that distracted them at least to a degree.

Without Duncan sitting outside her window it was strangely quiet outside her house. There was not even the stir of a creature. But she didn't care. The silence wrenched at her heart. She'd give anything for a distraction.

Suddenly there was a burst of noise in the distance. It sounded like guys shouting. But she could not be bothered to check out her window, not even as the noise continued to grow in volume.

She did not know it, but at the head of the disturbance was the one and only Duncan. He was sprinting across streets and hopping fences in yards to escape the group of boys chasing him. He was a decent length ahead of them, but he wasn't sure he could keep it up much longer. His breathing was labored and his sides ached.

"Get back here!" He heard one of them yell.

Duncan moaned as he forced himself to go even faster. Just because he was well trained at running and could run circles around any soul in the school did not mean he could run forever. As this thought set on him, a panic began to rise within him. Where could he go? Where could he go!

Then he realized where he was. He started and a smile stretched across his face. He had never been so happy to have pointlessly bugged Courtney for so long. Now she could be useful. She could be his source of refuge. "Thank God."

He burst through some bushes and found himself standing at the back of her house. He doubled over the moment he stopped, gripping at his aching sides as his breathing overtook him. "C…Courtney…" He breathed, forcing himself to stand straight.

His heart sank and an irritated feeling rose within him as he noticed her window was not propped open. He scowled darkly. "D…Damn it…today…of all days…" He hurried closer to her house to yell. "C…Courtney!" He cried as loud as his body would allow.

He stared apprehensively, his hands clenched in worry. There was no answer.

The cries of the boys were coming to his ears again. It would not be long until they found him. He needed Courtney to hurry! "Courtney!" He screamed.

It took a minute, but this time he did get a response. However, it was not one he wanted. "G-Go away." Came her soft voice.

Duncan frowned deeply. "What? Why?" He glanced fervently back and forth to her window and the empty space behind him.

"J-Just leave me a-alone!" She whined.

He felt bad for her based on her tone, but her denial was really pissing him off. "Courtney!" He said with unintended harshness. "Get over here and open the window! Now!" The noises were closer still.

Courtney slammed her fist down on her bed and almost screamed she was so furious. Still she flung herself off the bed and over to the window. "What!" She shrieked, her tone a mix of anger and tears.

Duncan started as her face appeared in the window. She was nothing like the Courtney he'd seen the past couple of weeks. Her hair was matted and sticking up at all angles, her face was stained with old and new tears, and she seemed to be choking back sobs. "Dude, what happened to you?" He didn't mean for it to sound offensive, but once it was out of his mouth he realized it sounded that way.

Courtney's lip trembled uncontrollably and she nearly broke down crying. All that kept her from this was knowing that he would only insult her more if she was weak. "Shut up!" She moaned in a vain attempt to sound angry. "And get out of my yard!"

They were nearly here. Duncan gritted his teeth in anxiousness. This was bad. Of all the days...of all the days! "Courtney! Open up!"

"No!" She screamed. "I'm not doing this anymore!"

"Courtney!" He snarled. "Open up or I'll open it myself!" He really meant it too. He already was searching for a rock.

"No!" She screeched.

There was no rock around today and without it there was no other way through her window. Then it hit him. He jolted out of place to the vines leading to her window. He knew he wasn't supposed to put pressure on his wrist for a few more days, but this was important.

Courtney quaked with fury and sadness. She just wanted to be left alone. Why couldn't he accept that? "Stop it!" She yelled. "Don't you dare!"

He scaled it within seconds, ignoring Courtney's cries. She'd understand the situation soon enough. Those guys would be here any second. "Open it." He asked one more time as he hung onto the window sill.

Courtney shook her head fervently. "Never! Get down! NOW!"

Duncan sighed heavily, dreading what he was about to do. "Fine." He grumbled, rearing his good arm back as it clenched into a fist. "But you made me do it." And he smashed his fist into the window.

It broke instantly with the force of his blow, a loud shattering sound filling their ears. It had not all broken though. He could not crawl through. Instead he attempted to pull the window up by sticking his hand through the hole he created.

Courtney's mortified gasp followed his act. "What did you do!" She squealed. "You broke it! How could you!"

Duncan didn't respond, he kept trying to open the window. It was really hard and really painful. The jagged glass grabbed at his skin to try and tear it. He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tight to hold in the pain.

"Over here!" They both heard. It was one of Duncan's pursuers.

Courtney didn't really care about the boys; she didn't even realize they were after Duncan. All her mind saw was all the blood. If she wasn't worked up enough, she became more out of sorts. Her breathing went crazy and she felt as if she might have a heart attack. "Stop!" She demanded, pushing his arm back through the opening. "I said stop!"

He glared at her, but did as he was told.

She shoved the window up in one swift movement and dragged him in. She didn't see why he needed to be up here, but she couldn't stand the blood seeping from his arm and hand. "You idiot!" She immediately scolded, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "Why'd you do that! You-You're bleeding!"

Duncan jumped up and clamped a hand over her mouth. He just as swiftly pulled her down below the window and pressed her body back against his to hold her in place with his other arm.

Courtney flipped out. Her eyes grew to the size of bowling balls and she instantly started to struggle against him. She screamed through his hand, but it was no louder than a whisper. As she fought him she knew she shouldn't be, but she couldn't help but be afraid. The way he so easily overcame her made her fear that one day, when she made him too angry, he would do as he wished to her in a heartbeat.

"Hey!" A voice cried. "Look! You think he went through the window!" the boy pointed to the open window.

Another voice rang out. "Oh, please!" he scoffed. "Don't you know anything? That's the new prep's house!"

A third voice, "You mean that Courtney girl?" He chuckled. "Yeah, no way she'd let a punk like him in. She's too good for him, or anyone in the school."

The first sighed heavily. "Come on then." He snapped. "He has to be nearby." They all sprinted across her yard and away into town, not realizing they'd just missed their prey.

Duncan waited a few more minutes before he dared move. He then sighed in heavy relief, his grip on Courtney finally loosening. "That was close." He half laughed, almost forgetting that he was in a psycho's house.

Courtney jumped up as soon as she could, spinning around to glare with undying intensity at the punk. "You!" She seethed, breathing heavy and heart beating like crazy. The blood on her face only made her crazier. "What did you do!"

Duncan cringed slightly, half from the pain and half from her anger. "Sorry." He tried to say, smiling faintly as he stood. "These guys were after me because of something stupid and I really needed to hide. You were the closest place."

Courtney practically screamed, her clenched fists trembling fiercely. "Then get out!" She exploded. "You got what you wanted! You destroyed my window! Now leave!" She pointed over to the window, not sure how much longer she could keep up this mask of hate.

Duncan frowned deeply, seeing right through her. "Princess, I'm sorry." He said again. "I didn't mean to make you mad." He carefully stepped toward her. "But please don't be that way."

"OUT!" She bellowed, her tears fighting to break free.

As Duncan went to respond, another voice filled the air. It came from below them and sounded close to the same as Courtney's. Only it wasn't her. "Courtney!" The shrill voice cried. "What are you doing up there!"

"Nothing!" Courtney shrieked with as much venom as she had toward Duncan.

"Then stop screaming or I'll come up there and make you!"

Courtney groaned in utter misery, sinking down to her knees. She buried her head in her hands, having forgotten about the blood. Once she felt it she only moaned louder.

Duncan was completely confounded. He didn't know whether to quietly slink away or try to help. She was being so out of character right now. He feared any movement would shatter her in this fragile state. "Courtney…" He breathed, anxious about her reaction.

Courtney crumpled further, slumping down in an unusual pose. She rarely if ever did not stand erect. This was nothing like her. "G-Go away." She pleaded, struggling to stifle her sobs.

"Courtney, what's wrong?" Duncan was extremely worried. He hoped he didn't do this to her. Could that be one of her buttons – breaking windows? What a strange thought. "I didn't mean to break your window." Even though he had. "I'll fix it! Just please stop crying.

"N-No…" She shook her head faintly. "I-It's not you. I-It's-" She couldn't bear to say it out loud. It made a sob catch in her throat and her body start to shake slightly. "Just go…"

Duncan couldn't help but sigh. He was so relieved he hadn't done this. He would have felt awful. He might have even started to cry himself. He would have been too much like his father, making people cry like that.

Courtney tried to calm down through the span of the silence, but it was no use. Her original stress combined with the knowledge of him breaking her window and bleeding made it impossible. He was still bleeding. It had to hurt. And it was all her fault!

Duncan tentatively moved closer and bent down on the ground next to her. "Courtney…" He reached out to take her wrists and pull them away from her face. "Talk to me."

Courtney's eyes bulged from her head as he tried to reveal her face. "No!" She shrieked, slapping his hands away. "Don't touch me!" She turned away from him and returned her hand to her face.

Duncan cringed not because her hit hurt, but because where she hit hurt. His hand stung already from being torn open. He didn't her making it worse. "Courtney!" His voice was sharp and meant to cut her. "Stop being brat!"

Courtney sucked in a sharp breath. "D-Don't call me th-that." She shook her head. "I'm n-not a brat. I'm not!"

"You're being one right now!" Duncan hurt as much as she did with each word he threw at her. He knew she didn't need to be yelled at right now, but being nice wasn't exactly working either. So he did the thing he knew best. "I mean seriously! Why would you hit me! What is so awful that you have to hit me to hide!"

Courtney's hands fell away from her face in utter defeat. She didn't want him to see her this way, but his words stung too badly for her not to show him. She was not a brat…she wasn't. She refused to let him say and believe it.

Duncan was taken aback as he saw her face in plain view. He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before as she stood in the window, maybe adrenaline. But now there was no denying the sight before him. "What the-" His eyes grew as large as bowling balls. "Courtney…what happened to you?" Bruises were scattered across her face. It wasn't half as bad as his abuse, but it was obvious it was bad for her.

Courtney hung her head in shame. He would judge her now. He would mock her for being weak, especially when she was always so strong around him. The thought made her sobs grow fiercer and the tears flow down her face like a river.

Duncan grimaced. He had never been good with comforting people. He could scarcely remember a time when he comforted Zane, and he was his best friend. "Courtney…" He timidly ventured, reaching out for her. "Don't cry."

She did not bother resisting this time. She did not have the will. She was so broken. She just needed to believe she wasn't so alone in this.

Duncan pulled her the small space over to him. He wrapped his arms around her middle back and held her like his mother had held him many times before. "Please stop." He found himself saying pleadingly. He brought his clean hand up to her head and ran his fingers gingerly through her hair. "Please…"

Courtney thoughtlessly leaned over with her head on his chest. She shuddered at the contact, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away. Sadly her sobs and tears remained ever the same. She could not break out of her misery.

"Princess." He tested to see if getting a rise out of her was possible and more importantly if it would force her out of her slump.

She did not react in the least. If anything she was made worse.

Duncan sighed. "Tell me what happened." He breathed as soothingly as he could.

He was amazed as Courtney spoke. "Sh-She did it again." She moaned.

"She?" His brow furrowed and he looked down in true interest. Was she talking about her mom? He almost didn't want to know. He didn't know if he could handle knowing that some mothers were not caring people.

"M-My mom." She could scarcely believe she was revealing this. She had sworn never to tell anyone what her mother sometimes did. She knew her mom didn't mean anything by her actions. Still, it hurt. No one wanted to be struck, especially not by their mother.

Duncan's eyes caught fire. He couldn't believe this. "What?" His voice was strained and full of angry shock.

Courtney cowered. She knew he too meant nothing by his tone, but in her state it still scared her. Who really knew what he might do.

Duncan felt immediate guilt. "Why would she do that?"

Courtney shook her head faintly. "S-She didn't mean it." She explained, not knowing why she felt obligated. "S-She was just-just-just-" She broke off and started to choke out heavy sobs again.

"Courtney." Duncan whispered, bringing his clean hand down to her chin and tilting her head up toward himself. "It's alright." He promised. "You don't need to cry. It's only a mark." He thought to the scar on his neck. "It'll go away."

Courtney's sobs suddenly softened and her tears slowed. She was still emotionally unstable and hurt, but somehow it was not so severe. "B-But…it still h-hurt." She moaned quietly.

"I know." He sighed, meaning it with every fiber of his being. "I really do." Every strike ever made on him still ached despite having disappeared. "But you can't dwell on it." He breathed, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her cheek.

Courtney shuddered at the touch of his lips, but she didn't draw away. "Duncan…" She murmured. She almost sounded infatuated even through her tears.

Duncan kissed her gently once more, this time on her neck. He didn't know what he was doing, but he felt possessed to do this.

Courtney knew how wrong this was, but she could not get herself to push him away. His kisses soothed her tormented soul. She didn't understand the power such a silly action had over her, all she knew was that it was very powerful.

As much as Duncan wanted to hold something over her head, he suddenly stopped. He pulled back and frowned in guilt at her. If he took advantage of her in this moment, he knew he'd regret it tomorrow or even later today.

By the time he stopped, her tears had ceased. Not even her sobs remained. "Thank you…" She breathed thoughtlessly as she leaned back on him.

Duncan started slightly at her kind words. Thanks? Really? Did she mean it? "You don't need to thank me." He muttered, averting his eyes. "It was nothing." He ran his fingers over her face to wipe the tears staining her face away,

"No…" She breathed. "It means everything to me." She shifted her gaze to her back. "But please…stop touching me."

Duncan blinked in confusion. "What?"

"The blood." As he'd kissed her she had nearly forgotten, but now she remembered well. "It's staining my clothes."

Duncan smiled broadly, nearly chuckling in amusement at her. Even through the stress she still made a joke. "Sorry." He withdrew his hand.

Courtney sat up off of him, wiping at her stained face. "It's ok." She was in a particularly forgiving mood at the moment. She'd just have to wash the blood off when her mother wasn't looking. "Even though it is your fault, it doesn't matter."

Duncan half snorted in amusement. True, he was to blame. "Yeah…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his clean hand. "Sorry about the window and all."

Courtney shook her head as she stood. "Whatever." She managed a smile as she walked over to a dresser. "I'll fix it later." She dug around in one of the drawers and came out with some gauze, cotton balls, and disinfectant.

Duncan frowned deeply. "Why do you have that in your room?" He murmured suspiciously, eyeing her with uncertainty.

Courtney shrugged. "Just look at me." She grumbled, sitting back down in front of him. "Who knows when it might get worse."

Duncan cringed. He hadn't meant to bring that up again.

Courtney forced a smile. She knew he didn't mean anything by it, and after what he'd done for her she had no right to be persnickety, but it still stung. "Give me your hand." She quickly moved on from his words. She didn't want to cry again.

Duncan thoughtlessly stretched his hand out to her.

Courtney took the disinfectant and put some on the cotton ball. She then dabbed his hand and arm, grimacing as she was forced to stare intently at the blood. She hated blood. It made her physically ill.

"You really don't have to do this." Duncan said to break the silence.

"I want to." She said without thinking.

Duncan couldn't help but smile. This event really had knocked her off kilter. "Thanks I guess then."

Courtney started snickering unintentionally after a moment.

Duncan blinked in confusion. "What?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Both of your hands are bandaged now." She giggled.

Duncan snorted in amusement. "Yeah. But this one's coming off soon." He pointed to his sprained wrist.

She didn't know why at first, but she started to choke up again. Faint sobs caught in her throat, coming out as hiccups.

Duncan was swept with worry. "What?" He said with obvious concern. "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head, quickly finishing the wrapping. "No." She said through closed lips, standing up a little too fast.

Duncan stood up with her. "Then what?" He stared with sad eyes.

"I just realized tomorrow is school." She choked out, her hands shaking. "Everyone will see me."

His heart fell. It was true. Everyone would stare at her and whisper, adding on to her already bad reputation. It made his blood boil. "No they won't." He growled. He had to wonder though how she had never been hit in the middle of the week. She was quite lucky, either that or her mother was really smart. But why now did it change?

Courtney stared with wide tear filled eyes up at him. "What?" She squeaked weakly.

"Anyone who says anything to you will wish they were dead." He said with a fierce passion, his fists clenching instinctively.

A tear slipped down Courtney's face, but it was not from sadness. Now it was from sheer happiness and relief. "Oh, Duncan." She cried, moving toward him and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you so much." The prospect of school still scared her, but she knew that with him protecting her it would not be unbearable. She could at least smile, even through her bruises.

Duncan smiled despite himself. "It's nothing." He breathed, tentatively wrapping his injured arms around her tiny well curved body. "I'd do anything for you…" He didn't think as he said it, forgetting for a moment that this was a game. He almost thought that this was real, that she loved him and he loved her. He almost lost his grip on what he called reality.

Courtney heard his words, but she didn't really register them. She was just as lost to reality as he was. "I'm so glad." She squeezed out, nuzzling his chest affectionately. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

As they stood in utter bliss, they knew they'd lost their minds. They were not meant to be so close, physically or emotionally. This was not meant to be! Yet they couldn't stop it, and that was truly scary.

**So, connected enough for you? Did it satisfy you dxc needs? I liked it pretty well. And with each chapter I get closer to the chapter I really want to write. :D Please review! :)**


	17. At Game's End

**Oh my God! It's a Christmas miracle! XD Seriously, does anyone even read this anymore? It's been like a whole year since I last updated. And I honestly don't know what possessed me to write this chapter now. Well, whatever the reason it's done now and anyone who still remembers this story can enjoy another chapter. So, enjoy!**

Duncan did not fall short on his promise. He protected her with all of his power and even broke a couple of noses in the process. It made him smile darkly, especially since he had Courtney's permission. The last time she had allowed something like this was forever ago.

Courtney hugged him each time he scared off her bullies, not thinking about the implications the action presented. She was just too happy to realize anything but her relief. She could not have been happier to have Duncan by her side at this point.

Duncan smiled down at her each time she acted. He was as happy as she was, only for different reasons. He had snapped back into game mode and with each hug he grew more and more confident about his chances. And by the end of the week he had decided that this was the day he would do it – he was going to ask about the dance. This game would be over soon.

"This is it!" Duncan cried in exuberance, throwing his arms into the air.

Zane peered at him from the corner of hi eye and raised a brow. "What? Is today the day you're finally going to become a model student?" Zane chuckled.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Haha, you're hilarious." He hit Zane lightly. "No. It's the day I'm going to ask Courtney to the dance again."

Zane snorted. "You still haven't given up then?" He mused, crossing his arms over his chest. "Figures."

Duncan frowned deeply. "What do you mean?" He cocked his head to the side slightly. "You didn't really expect me to give up, did you?" He half laughed. "Honestly. How long have you known me?"

Zane shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Too long." He teased.

"Then you should know that this won't end until she says yes." He lifted his head up in the air superciliously. "Which should be today."

Zane chuckled. "If you say so."

Duncan scowled at him. "What does that mean?" He grumbled. "Did you do something again?" He pointed an accusing finger at him and looked at Zane with nothing less than suspicion.

Zane laughed out loud. "No! No!" He insisted, waving his hands in denial. "Of course not. This is your thing." He smiled crookedly then. "Besides, you need all the help you can get."

"What!?" Duncan started. "Are you saying I can't get her!?" He growled lightly under his breath. "Huh!?"

Zane grinned. "Maybe."

Duncan pushed him roughly but still playfully. "You watch." He wagged a finger at Zane. "You just watch and see. By the end of the day, she'll be mine." He clenched his fist in anticipation.

Zane's smile slipped slightly and he suddenly averted his eyes. While his thoughts had left him alone through the conversation, as it ended he found himself troubled. Traces of guilt filled him. What was he to do about this? He wasn't supposed to intervene. It was the rules of the game. Yet he didn't know if this was best. And he wondered what he would do when he saw Courtney later that day.

Duncan might have noticed his friend's sudden shift, but in that moment he was consumed with his own thoughts. He wondered how he would start the conversation with her, what the right words were, and how high her level of pleasure would reach. She would accept. She had no choice. After what they'd been through over these weeks, she would be insane not to. Nothing would stop him.

**...**

Courtney had been waiting at her window for a good hour or two. She was so anxious she just couldn't help it. Sure, she had homework to do. Still, she couldn't focus. After what she'd been told today, it wasn't humanly possible.

She sighed heavily. Of course this day of all days would be the one where he took his precious time getting there. He was amazing like that. "I'll beat him…" She grumbled, slumping over so that her head hung out the window and arm dangled well below the sill. "He's so dumb."

"Princess!" She finally heard his familiar voice call to her.

She perked, but only slightly. Her expression remained dull and thoroughly unimpressed. "Oh, hey." She grumbled, averting her gaze.

Duncan frowned deeply and raised a brow in question. What was with her? She may act angry and at times grow upset with him, but she never acted bored with his presence.

"You're late you know." She added absently, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I've been waiting forever."

Duncan stared intently at her. Was she not going to give him anything more than that? "So what?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Is that it then? You're acting like this because I was a little late?"

Courtney grimaced, a hint of hurt showing in her eyes. "Maybe." She murmured distractedly, sighing softly. "I don't know…" She slumped further on the window.

"Maybe? What does that mean?" Duncan was getting frustrated by her vagueness. She was not one to beat around the bush with her feelings. "Just tell me!"

"Look, can you just go." She mumbled after a time.

Duncan growled lightly under his breath. That was it. He knew he promised after that night that he wouldn't go in her house again, but this was getting annoying. "No." He said sternly, walking toward the vines.

Courtney knew instantly what he meant to do. Her eyes widened in surprise and then quickly narrowed. "Hey!" She snapped, jerking up. "What are you doing!? You promised!" She pointed an accusing finger at him.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Promises are for pansies anyway." He scoffed, gripping the vines.

Courtney fumed, showing her usual personality. "Stop!" She demanded, looking wildly around for something besides the truth to throw at him and knock him down. "Just stop! I don't want you up here!"

Duncan snorted. "You're a liar." He rolled his eyes. "I know you like me." A cocky smirk flashed across his lips. "Which brings me to my next question. Will you-"

"No!" Courtney snapped with immense harshness. "No! I won't! Never!"

Duncan was startled by her immense anger and nearly lost his grip on the vines. "No? No what?" He made a face. "You didn't even hear me out! How can you say no to something you haven't heard?" He half laughed, unease slipping into his demeanor. "So just listen, alright. I-"

"I said no!" She insisted, shaking her head violently. "Ok! Just…just leave!" Traces of tears welled in her emerald eyes as she was forced to push him away. "Please…" She begged pitifully, a soft sniffle following.

Duncan stopped in his climb. He stared in utter bewilderment at her. "I can't." He sighed with almost as much sadness as her. "Not until you either let me ask my question or tell me what the hell is wrong with you today."

Courtney wiped at her eyes in a vain attempt to hide her tears from him. "I can't." She moaned, shaking her head slowly. "I can't hurt you…"

Duncan frowned deeply. What? Her…hurt him? He couldn't believe it. How would anything she said be enough to hurt him? What did she think he was – a wimp? "I don't under-"

Finally she couldn't stand it. "Fine!" She would rather hurt him and have him gone than he be here and torturing her. "I'll **never** go to the dance with you!" She bellowed, the tears coming back. "Ok!? Because-Because…I'm going with Zane!"

Time froze.

Duncan couldn't breathe. The breath had been knocked out of him, leaving him suffocating in an ocean of horrible truth. Nor could he feel his body any more. He felt as if his heart had been destroyed and all his limbs were now useless because of it. It was over. This game…this thing they had…the whole world…his whole world. It ended in a second.

The sight of his shock made Courtney feel even worse. She clutched at her chest, her heart hurting her more than ever. But it didn't make sense. Why? Why did his pain hurt her so? She did not like him, he was just a punk. Zane was the only guy she cared about. So why…why did she want to break down and cry? "Duncan…" She whispered. She didn't really know what to say past that though. Her mouth stretched out into a large grimace.

Duncan didn't look at her for a minute. He stared intently at the ground as if it held the answer to his sudden unexpected blow. When he found nothing he lifted his gaze to her as she stood framed in the window. A cold, yet simultaneously hurt scowl played across his face. He didn't breathe a word through it all.

Courtney shrank beneath his heated gaze. She'd never seen such a look on his face, at least not directed at her. She was almost frightened. "Duncan…" She tried again, no more bold than before. "I'm sorry…" She was so quiet she wasn't sure he heard.

Duncan felt his hands trembling slightly. Sorry? She was _sorry_? That's it? She basically just stabbed him through the heart and she expected a simple sorry to be enough. A fire lit in his eyes and his scowl turned deadly. "Whatever." He tried to remain strong. "You can go fuck him for all I care. I never even cared about you at all. This was never more than a game."

Courtney bit her lip so hard in order to hold in her tears that she drew blood. Game? What did he even mean by that? Was he just trying to but a wall between them or justify his attention? Or was there a more literal meaning behind his harsh words? Did he mean…it was only ever about the dance…?

"Good riddance." He hissed a final farewell before he bolted. He turned sharply on his heel and ran like the wind. He swore as he retreated that he heard her call after him, but he didn't stop to find out. He didn't ever stop, not until he was home again. He couldn't bear to, even as his lungs cried out for him to stop, because it was the only way to drown out his heart's agony – with the sound of it beating loudly in his ears.

Courtney reached vainly after him as he ran. She also cried out, but it did no good. She knew it wouldn't. Still, it was all she could do. If he wouldn't respond, there was no point in following. Worst of all though, worse than his words or his departure, was the look on his face. That look was all she needed to know she'd cut him to the core.

With that ever present thought she finally broke down. She sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. She sobbed heavily, knowing no one would be there to help or even hear. The only person who would do that was far away now. So she drowned, alone in her tears.

**...**

The next day was a train wreck waiting to happen. From the moment Courtney woke in the morning there was an awful sense of foreboding all around her. The air was thicker somehow, almost as suffocating as her sadness had been the night before. Her body also seemed to quake with a terrible knowing. Every movement she made was met with protest, especially as she went to leave. But worst of all, the ultimate sign of everything going awry, was the fact her mother was actually _nice._ The only counterbalance had to be absolute misery at school.

Duncan didn't sleep at all the night before. How could he? He was consumed with an agonizing pain that rattled him to his very core and very near brought him to tears. Not to mention his body ached with the sudden and wholly expected urge to just _kill something_. He had one thing in mind in particular too. He knew deep down he'd regret it by the next day or even hour, but nothing was going to stop him now. He had to get rid of these feelings, and this was the only way he knew how to.

Zane was worried as he woke up. He was so on edge even his dog barking at him playfully made him jump a mile. He knew that Duncan had to have gone to Courtney's last night. If so, then he was sure she'd told him what he'd done. Duncan would not be pleased. In fact, he was probably really hurt and even a bit betrayed by the revelation. He would definitely be walking on eggshells today. That was for sure. He just hoped Duncan didn't do anything too drastic.

School began as dully as it ever did. Nothing was really happening as the students scurried around to prepare for classes. There wasn't even any whispering of a fight or plans to bully others for once – at least not on the surface. As everyone else went innocently about, Duncan stood at the entrance of the school with a look of utter contempt on his face. There was a shadow of immense proportions hanging over him. He wasn't about to spare the school of a good show.

Zane walked carefully up the sidewalk to the school. His eyes searched nervously for any sign of his friend. Friend or not he was highly dangerous. When he lost control, it was all over. He was honestly surprised he hadn't heard any screams or seen blood splattered across the wall from his rampage yet. Then again, there was more than likely only one thing he was waiting for. And really, there was no way to avoid it, not even if he skipped school.

Zane sucked in a sharp breath. There was a sudden rough and unexpected force exerted on his throat and it was slamming him back against the wall with amazing force. On impact he let out a strangled cry and a muffled gasp. The softness was not from his strength, however, it was because the hand was squeezing mercilessly. His airways were quickly constricting and a panic overtook him.

Looking with wide, stunned, and scared eyes Zane saw what he feared most. Duncan stood before him, a crazed look in his eyes. His teeth were bared and his face contorted in unbridled rage. The devil himself could not have terrified Zane more in that moment. "D-Duncan…" He squeezed out. He grabbed at Duncan's wrists to try and pry him off. "Stop…"

Duncan's eyes danced with cruel amusement. "Like hell!" He laughed coldly. "You dirty little sneak!" He drew Zane forward and slammed him back again. "You made it seem like it was all me!" A deranged sort of happiness flashed in his eyes. "Oh, have fun with this game Duncie. It's all yours." He said in a girlie voice. "I won't interfere. Here! Even have her address." His voice grew harsh again and the anger returned to his features. "You liar!"

Zane gasped for air. Things were starting to blur a little around the edges. He could still see the insanity that Duncan possessed though and he knew that it was going to take a miracle to snap him out of it. He could also see the slowly gathering circle of people. As always, eager to see a fight, especially between friends.

Duncan followed his gaze and noticed the people too. Somehow this only fueled his fury. A growled ripped from his throat. "Don't look at them!" He snarled. "Look at me! And answer me! Why the hell did you do this!? Huh?" He shook him. "Why!?"

Zane noticed the edge of hurt in Duncan's tone and realized with sweet relief that this was his one and only chance. "I-I'm sorry." He struggled to speak with Duncan's every tightening grip. His head was swimming now. "P-Please…stop this. Courtney…she-she…she'll be upset if you hurt me."

Duncan growled deep in his throat. His hand trembled fiercely. "That's not an answer!" He screamed. More sadness seeped out in his voice and expression. "Answer me damn it!" He did however loosen his hold. He even moved his grip from the throat to the collar in a moment of mercy.

Zane breathed in deeply. His breathing was heavy and shaky and for a minute he could do nothing but relish in the simple gift of air. He knew his time was limited though and as quickly as possible responded to Duncan. "I like her." He said finally, sternly. "I'm sorry Duncan, but I've liked her almost as long as I've known her, far longer than you've even considered her as an equal." His eyes were surprisingly cold as he spoke.

Duncan seized him up by the collar of his shirt so their faces were inches apart. "So what!? This game was just some cruel trick then!? You were never going to let me win? You planned all along to steal her at the last moment?" His whole body trembled with his mess of emotions. "You-You-"

Hurt and shame flickered across Zane's features. He couldn't even bear to look Duncan in the eye as he said it, "No." He bit his lip. "I just never expected her to come so close to falling for you." His voice was soft, but he was sure Duncan heard. He could tell by the shocked silence.

Duncan was stunned into silence for a moment. He stared blankly at his so called friend. Then he cried out in a mingle of fury and betrayal. He threw Zane as hard as he could back at the wall, not caring how badly he hurt him in that moment. All he thought was that he was so stupid, so utterly stupid. He had let Zane trick him – and for what? Momentary happiness? He was just so stupid!

Zane's head snapped against the concrete wall and a loud smack was easily heard by everyone. It was especially obvious as a collective sound of sympathy and joy issued forth from the crowd. He stumbled forward and groaned softly as pain coursed through his skull. It was all he could do to keep his world from spinning.

Duncan's fist clenched and shook just like the rest of him. He stared in disgust at his disoriented 'friend'. He felt nothing for him. If anything there was only hate. In fact, he wanted to hit him, just one more time. He reared his fist back, his face twisting into a sickly satisfied expression, and prepared to punch him square in the jaw.

"NO!" Everyone heard from just outside the circle. They all turned slightly and unintentionally opened a thin walkway for whoever it was. Duncan, on the other hand, flinched noticeably. Shock replaced his wrath and he halted his blow. That voice…!

"STOP IT!" She barreled through the crowd and threw herself at Duncan. She latched onto his halted fist and held it with as much strength as she possessed. They both knew that if he wanted he could easily throw her off, just as much as they knew he never would. "Just stop!" Tears shined in her emerald eyes and her lip trembled noticeably. "Please…"

Duncan's breathing was heavy from his rage and his eyes were still wild, but he did not go against her. Her desperate hold on him even seemed to be soothing his savage soul. His trembling even lessened and slowly but surely he lowered his fist and it unfurled.

As Courtney looked desperately into his eyes she saw all the layers of hurt beneath the thick hate he exuded. Still, just like the hurt the hate was very much real. It was not merely a front to hide his sadness even though it did that too. This was perhaps the worst truth of all.

The longer Duncan stared into her beautifully broken face the more he sank back into the arms of sanity. The dark shadow became lighter until it finally disappeared, taking the animosity that was strong enough to manifest in actions along with it. And with that, the buried emotion surfaced on his face and shame shined clearly in his horror stricken face.

Zane was leaning heavily against the wall as Courtney took Duncan's attention from him. He felt really dizzy. Actually he was pretty sure his head was bleeding a little. He felt for it and sure enough as he pulled his hand back before his face he saw it – the crimson liquid. It made him feel even woozier. Mind over matter he supposed.

Courtney's grip loosened as she saw lucidity return to him, but she felt no better herself. She'd done this. By letting him get so close and then turning to Zane anyway she had ruined everything between all of them. "Duncan…" She whispered almost hoarsely. She let go and lifted her hands to his cheeks.

Duncan was in so much inner turmoil that he couldn't help but give in to her in that moment. He just wanted to feel ok, even just for an instant. So he let his eyes fall shut and he enjoyed the soft touch she offered him. It was one of the only times he'd ever experienced it, especially in such a high string state. And it was so soothing.

Courtney gently rubbed her thumbs across his skin. "I'm so, so sorry." When she'd first seen what he was doing to Zane honestly she had wanted nothing more than to punch him in the mouth. In fact after getting him to lower his fist she had planned to do just that. But now, seeing his pain, she just couldn't. "Really. I never meant for this to happen."

Duncan bowed his head slightly, a grimace stretching across his face. He swore he felt tears welling behind the closed lids of his eyes. But he opened his eyes anyway. He wanted to see if there was still truth to her words or if she was using this moment of blindness to cover her changed attitude. Unfortunately she appeared as devastated as ever. It only made him feel worse about the way he'd reacted last night and the things he'd done today.

"But please," Courtney let her hands slip down to his shoulders and then she clasped them around the back of his neck. She pulled herself close to him, not even caring that there was a crowd of people staring. She had to fix this. So she hugged him tight like he'd done for her before. "Don't hurt him. **Please.**"

Duncan's eyes darted to Zane and already he regretted the way he attacked his friend. He couldn't bear looking for more than a moment either and buried his head in her shoulder. He also encircled her tiny body in a tight, desperate hug. "I didn't mean to." He choked out. His father's face flashed before his mind's eye, a devilish and proud smile plastered on his lips. _Well done, son. Look at the harm you've caused – and to your own friend. We're the same now, you and me. Daddy's little monster._ He felt his breath catch in his throat at the notion. "I'm not like him."

Him? Him who? It wasn't the right time to ask though and she knew it. "I know. Just…go to class." She pulled away a little, but not so much that they weren't still incredibly close. "Alright?" She looked pleadingly into his clouded eyes.

Duncan glanced at Zane one last time before deciding it was best. Even though he was sorry, Zane had to be mad. All him trying to apologize or help would do would be to make things worse between them. "Ok." He said weakly as he pulled away from her.

Courtney forced a small smile of thanks and patted him appreciatively on the shoulder before she turned away from him. The instant her gaze left his she shifted modes. She went from caring only for Duncan to caring only for Zane. She hurried to him and took both of his hands in hers. "Zane?" She whispered. "Can you hear me?"

Duncan watched a bit bitterly as she so quickly moved on, but he did as she wished nonetheless. He hurried through the crowd, of course not without due shoving and name calling to all those who dared think of using this moment of weakness against him, and made a beeline for first period. He wondered vaguely if he'd see her there, but quickly dismissed the thought in favor of complete ignorance. It was easier this way.

Zane groaned. His world still wasn't spinning quite right. "Yeah, yeah, fine. What about Duncan?" He looked blearily around for any sign of him. He must have lost his grip on reality for a moment because he didn't remember Duncan leaving, but now he was gone.

"Don't worry." She insisted. She gently touched his head to feel of the damage. Thankfully it seemed she'd caught them before Duncan could do too much harm. The worst was the back of his head. She'd need to take him to the nurse for that. "I calmed him down and he went to class."

Zane didn't look it because of his state of mind, but he was severely shocked. "You…you what?" He cocked his head to try and covey his emotions.

"I calmed him down." She repeated. Her eyes wandered down to his throat. She grimaced. It was already turning purple. Had Duncan really tried to chock him? The thought chilled her to the bone. She touched the bruise lightly.

Zane shied away from her touch, stumbling back into the wall. He looked in apology at her afterward. "You…you really did it?" He was still stuck on her words. "He…He let you touch him and everything?" He smiled painfully.

Courtney looked up, her eyes full of confusion. "Of course." She frowned deeply. "But…why do you say it that way? You act like he's some wild beast or something."

Zane laughed in faint amusement, coughing roughly immediately after. He grasped at his throat and pain passed over his face. "Yeah, well, he kinda is. I mean, when he gets worked up like that. Honestly, no one's ever been able to get him out of that state but me and his mom. So it…it's kinda amazing."

"Shhh," Courtney pressed a finger to his lips. Her mind however was not so much on Zane as his words. She didn't know how to take this. So he could have hurt her? As much as he cared, he could have turned on her just as easily as he turned on Zane. Then…why didn't he? Did he really care **tha**t much? "Don't talk."

Zane stood and let her do as she willed. He didn't resist in the least and he even let his eyes fall shut in his exhaustion. She touched his face and his throat with such care that the pain of the bruises was nothing compared to the ecstasy he felt from being handled by her.

Courtney sighed heavily after a minute. "I'm sorry for you too." She bit her lip. "I…I had no idea he'd react this way. I mean, sure, he was going to be upset, but _this_." She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm just so sorry."

Zane wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "It's alright. I knew what I was doing when I asked you." He admitted it with an painfully amused smile. "I just should have warned you I guess."

Courtney hugged him back, but not too tightly. She wasn't sure if Duncan had hurt him in a covered place. "It's fine." She whispered back. "I'm just glad everything's alright." As alright as it could be anyway. Really there was no telling what else could go wrong.

All the while Duncan sat miserably in first period, alone. All the stares he was getting weren't helping either. They only served to stir the beast within. The only thing that kept him from going crazy on them was the knowledge that Courtney was just outside. She would be upset again if he attacked for no reason.

Duncan laid his head down on the table. He didn't care that he couldn't hear or see anything going on. All he cared about was one single thought – that it was over. Not just that though, it wasn't a matter of giving up or being bested by Courtney. He had been shoved to the side by her in favor of his best friend. He had utterly and completely lost. And it made him want to cry.

**Well, how was it? Definitely not worth the wait of a year, that's for sure. Still, I hope you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. And again I say we're getting closer to the chapter that I wanted to do so badly at the start of this. It still gets me excited, but I don't know how long it'll be until I get to another chapter, let alone a chapter farther down the road.**

**Anyway, please review! Constructive criticism is much appreciated! :D**


	18. Carelessness

**This update is shorter than most because I wanted to end it on a certain note and there wasn't much else to fit in before that point. Read on to find out what I mean. *grins evilly***

The following week went by slower than quicksand. No other point in their lives had ever slipped by at such a pace. It was ridiculous. Through it all neither did anything more to help their situations. Courtney ignored Duncan as much as he ignored her. They only gave passing glances to each other to try and gauge just how tortured the other was. It didn't help.

Courtney felt bad, really. She wanted to help him somehow, but she couldn't think of anything she could do that wouldn't screw things up more than they already were. The only thing that came to mind was to go with him to the dance. But she had already made her decision. That wasn't an option. She was going with Zane and that was all there was to it.

Duncan pinned like never before. He didn't fall for girls on a regular basis. Actually - ever. It wasn't in his nature. He played girls like a guitar and then let them go with only faint sympathy. But Courtney...she was different. She was a challenge and she had drawn him into her world with a merciless grip. And he finally understood the way the girls before must have felt about him.

Still, he didn't do anything. He stole glances out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't even speak to her. He didn't talk to Zane either. How could he? He had beaten him senseless and didn't deserve to even sit in the same room as him. Unfortunately being at school made that impossible. So he settled for simply leaving Zane alone. Actually, he left everyone alone. It was better this way.

As the week came to an end the Halloween dance was just around the corner. In fact, it was this night. The buzz about the dance was unlike any other. Every other sentence out of a student's mouth was about it. The only people not excited were the little trio. Even Zane couldn't be too happy about it. Sure he was going with Courtney, but in the grand scheme of things this mattered little. Duncan wasn't talking to him and Courtney wasn't saying all too much. This was destined to be the worst dance he'd ever attended.

Now back at her house Courtney sits alone. She crossed her arms over her chest and slumped down into the couch. It's a mere hour before the dance, yet she still wasn't getting ready. What was the point? Sure she liked Zane, but if it meant hurting Duncan - stupid Duncan - then was it really worth it. Unfrtunately she saw the answer as a terrible, earthshattering no. So she sat there. She stared dully at the black screen of the television. All that looked back at her was her unblinking expression.

Her stomach rumbled and she groaned softly. She wondered if she even wanted to bother feeding herself. She was one shake of a sheep's tail away from thinking she deserved to not eat. She snorted. She learned that stupid saying from an old friend. Now it was the only way to remember her. She left the reality behind when she moved to this crummy state.

She rolled herself across the couch and to the corner. She struggled up and stumbled out of the living room despite how much she wanted to continue to wallow. _Oh well..._ She was hungry. And she had less than an hour. She should at least be doing something.

She meandered into the kitchen and slowly went through the cabinets - high and low. It took her five minutes to finally find something she wasn't repulsed by. Macaroni and Cheese. Actually, it was always a sort of comfort food throughout the years. A pained smile crossed her lips. At least some things never change. At least this stupid food was simple.

She mechanically retrieved a pot and filled it with water. She turned on the stove and laid the pot on top. She walked over to a chair at the table and slumped over in it. She let her head fall into her cupped hand and sighed. She tore noncommitaly at the corners of the flap. It will be a few minutes anyway. The water will boil just as slowly as she will move. And then both the water and her emotions will reach the peak, finally spilling over the edges of the body containing them.

She heard the simmering of the water and poured the macaronni into the pot. Nine minutes. She went back to the table, then she hesitated. She glanced over into the living room. She didn't like the idea of nine more minutes of silence and absence of any _doing._ She didn't want to be left alone to thoughts. They'll surely eat her up inside.

So with no other contemplation she moved toward the couch. She picked up the remote as she rounded the table and threw herself back against the cushions. She propped her feet up on the coffe table and sighed heavily, tapping the power button. Spongebob was on. _Fun_. But she was too lazy to change it so she just dealt with it.

The episode is extremely boring. Something about a band or something. She doesn't laugh. All it did was make her anguish sink deeper into her bones and push a deep rooted exhaustion to the surface. She yawned. Her eyes fluttered and she thought vaguely that she needed to get up. The episode was alost over -it's been almost nine minutes.

But it never happened. Her exhaustion wrapped itself around her in a stranglehold and she couldn't find her back to the surface. She sinks into darknes - into dreams of passion and fury and a pulsing heat that feels a little too real. And she never wakes back up.

**...**

Duncan trudges slowly down the road. He knows he needs to go home. There's no point to being out here - no vandalizing, no meeting up with friends, and most importantly no Courtney. He hasn't talked to her since his fallout with Zane. Why should he? She basically told him she wanted nothing to do with him before that and then again by so carelessly choosing his best friend to protect.

He growls deep in his throat. He kicks roughly at the ground, chipping up a rock. It flies across his vision and hits a tree, bouncing off and skidding along the ground. Duncan snorts and rolls his eyes. What once would have been so amusing now only aggravates him further. "Stupid rock." He should be going home he once more reminds himself. Yet he doesn't.

In fact, his feet carry him in the exact opposite direction of home. He is disgusted with himself, but he is pretty sure he's pretty close to Courtney's house. What's wrong with him? _I must be insane._ He turns hard on his heel and lashes out, kicking a nearby tree. It sends a shock-wave back through him. He shakes away the vibrations and continues on his way.

It doesn't change his mind about anything though. He still refuses to see her just as much as his legs refuse to heed to his demands. There's just something that compels him in her direction. What? Does he really think she'll change her mind less than thirty minutes from the dance. He scoffs. _Idiot._ Yet his chiding does nothing to change his course. He passes the distance steadily.

"Come on," He grumbles to himself. "Forget this. Go home." He struggles to turn himself around. It is then that something catches his eyes. _Huh? _His eyes narrow as he scrutinizes the strange sight. The sky is surprisingly bright. Actually, it kind of lights up unnaturally. He lets go of his desire to go the other way and investigates this strange sight.

He reaches the outskirts of Courtney's house before the truth dawns on him. His mouth drops open and the breath leaves his lungs. His heart beats double time. _No..._ The sky is a blaze of orange and red, a blaze that stems from her house. The heat beats out at him even from here. Sparks fly and attack the lawn, creating a barrier that seems impossible to break through.

It's on fire.

**Oh no! *panics* Again, sorry for how short it is. I wanted to end it on a cliffhanger. I also want to say that after the next chapter or two I don't know what I should do. :( I have a super long plot planned, but it seems so cliche and unbelievably long. You all think I should end it soon after this? I don't know. Your opinions are much appreciated! Please review!**


	19. Burning for You

**Hello my pretties. For any of you who have been around since the beginning you should be familiar with the title of this chapter. ;) For those who are new, it was originally the title of the story as a whole. And yes - it's because of this chapter. This is the climaxish and so at the start I figured that was grounds for a story title. I ended up stumbling upon the song 'King of Anything' and changed the title because quite honestly it is a million times more fitting. My plot follows the lyrics scary good. lol**

**Well, enjoy!**

Courtney wakes with a start and a pounding heart. Sweat slicks her body and for a moment she is amazed that a nightmare could have such power over her. Then her head clears and the thick smoke, terrible heat, and fire register in her brain.

Courtney sucks in a sharp breath and jumps forward. She falls headfirst on the floor and her head spins. Why was she on the couch? She jerks her head up and sits upright. Her pupils dilate and breathing hitches as she takes in the true extent of the world of red and orange before her emerald eyes.

The flames eat away at the carpet and chomp at the priceless curtains. She jerks her head around toward the kitchen. It is completely engulfed. _That's right...I was cooking._ A sharp crackling catches her attention and a spark jumps toward her.

Courtney yelps and springs backward. She presses herself hard against the couch. The tiny spark quickly grows and snakes its way toward her. A panic rises within her and she scrambles up onto the couch. But it's not much better. The flames are swiftly working their way up the fabric toward her.

Courtney looks around her in a frenzy. A way to escape. Need a way to escape! **Any way!** She pitches forward as a rough coughing fit rattles her. Smoke rises. This isn't safe. She needs to get lower. _But…_

The far side of the couch ignites suddenly. A wall of flames rise only a few feet from her. Courtney's heart leaps in her throat and she coughs again. Her eyes water and head pounds along in rhythm with her heart. _There's no way…no way out._

She can't stay here though. She needs to be lower. So she peers tentatively over the back of the couch and steels herself. Then she leaps over, very narrowly surpassing the flames hugging the couch. She stumbles and hits her head hard on the wall.

Her head spins and the pain increases. She stands on unsteady feet and her vision starts to fail her. Once defined lines blur and nothing sits still, not even the furniture. She lifts her hand gently to her temple. No blood. Still, it's hardly comforting.

She sinks back against the wall. It is the only spot close that isn't consumed by flames. Her mind clouds. Her drive to do anything slowly seeps from her. Her breaths, once erratic and full of panic, grow slow and infrequent. She slides down the wall all the way to the ground. She stares through half lidded eyes at the display of red and orange springing across her house. Only there is no fear.

She feels nothing as the smoke slowly fills her lungs and takes her over. There is but one thing that crosses her mind in her last fleeting moment of consciousness. It comes out as no more than a whisper, but the plea is obvious as she says, "Duncan…"

**…**

Duncan stands in shock before the once familiar house turned into a splotch of raging flames. The lawn is quickly becoming the same and the few routes left inside are being cut off as fast as seconds pass in time.

The blaring of sirens is all that snaps him out of his daze. He jerks his head up and around toward the noise. They are close. He shakes his head. But not close enough. He narrows his eyes in determination. There's no way they'll be here quick enough, not quick enough for him anyway.

So he acts. He darts around the circle of flames to try and find an entrance. Only once he reaches the side where there is concrete footing does he find any luck at all. It's narrow, uncomfortably so. So he goes all the way around to the front.

He gasps as he sees the red brimming at the windows. He runs to the door, but does not open it. He presses a hand against it to feel for the heat. He jerks back instantly and hisses. It's scalding. There's no way he can get in here. The fire will be right there waiting to burst forth.

He tilts his head back the way he came. He sets eyes on the small opening. There doesn't seem to be any other way. He quakes slightly in his skin as he approaches it. Still, he can't hesitate. He clenches his eyes shut tight and charges forward.

The fire licks at him and tries to take hold of him enough to drive him backwards. And he won't lie, it burns. The heat pulsing against him scorches his clothes and attacks the skin. But he won't go back.

He breaks through to a relatively open space within the circle of fire. He tries to focus on the next step – an entrance – but the pain is distracting. He grimaces and clenches his teeth as he turns his eyes on his arm. Red splotches dot it and each one pulses with pain.

_Later._ His mind screams at him. _Your arm is worth nothing compared to life – her life._ Duncan nods and tears his gaze away from the arm. He zones in on the house. If the front is that bad, then he might as well not bother with the back.

He lifts his eyes to the window leading to her room. He hasn't climbed it in a while, but the way to do it is burned into his brain like everything else about her. He breathes in and out deeply and heads for the vines.

Now with both of his arms better this will be easier than ever. He scales it in moments and shoves the window up fluidly. For an instant he is amazed at the feat and pretty proud of himself, but the feelings snap back into focused panic. The smoke that billows out and chokes him furthers his desperation.

He coughs and waves at the smoke, but it's too thick for him to disperse and he settles on just moving on. He leaps through the opening and drops to his hands and knees. He crawls across the room and toward her bedroom door.

As he reaches the threshold he freezes. _Don't you **ever** go anywhere in my house._ She told him that once. He shakes him head. Who cares!? This is not even the same. This is a dire circumstance. He hurries on and into an even thicker smog. Even so low to the ground it gets to him pretty bad too. He coughs terribly and his eyes water.

He wipes at his eyes and proceeds cautiously. He reminds himself that this isn't his house and moving by memory won't do him a lick of good. In the next instant he proves his point by running into a wall. He grunts and backs up. Where are the stairs?

He feels around carefully. The floor shifts from soft carpet to hardwood and his face lights up. He makes a big move forward, expecting to find the stairs just in front of him. Unfortunately the floor remains as flat as before and he stumbles terribly. As he tries to right himself the next step he makes finds him on the stairs and he tumbles half way down.

Duncan slams his head again and again as he falls until he catches onto the railing. His head throbs and his world spins as he finally sits up. He groans and touches his head lightly. For a moment even he loses track of the situation and his feelings concerning it.

He turns his head slowly as the heat pulses against him and he snaps to attention. His eyes widen and heart leaps in his chest. He scrambles back from the wall of fire at the bottom of the stairs. That sure as hell isn't an option.

He stands on unsteady feet and survey's what little he can see. He can only see just past the railing. There are little patches below still untouched by the furious flames. _That'd it then._ He decides it is the only way. He climbs onto the railing and perches atop it.

He starts to take a deep breath, but quickly clamps his mouth shut. That's utterly stupid. He just propels himself across the room. He lands with a thud and his legs quake as he endures the backlash. He spins around without a second thought and squints, struggling again to see farther than an arm's length through the ever thickening smoke.

"Courtney!" He wheezes. He pitches forward as he goes into a coughing fit. He presses his hands against his mouth but it does little to nothing. "Can you hear me?" He holds his breath and watches closely as he listens for the tiniest sound.

Nothing.

Duncan weaves carefully in and out of the flames. Some spaces are wider, but some are even worse than the area in the yard. Worse still is how he is bordered on both sides by the vicious flames. The spots dotting his arms increase in number and his legs sport similar marks.

He ignores it this time, however, without fail. The pain is unbearable, but he focuses on Courtney. Heck, maybe she's not even here. Maybe Zane already picked her up for the dance. It makes him a bit irritated at the thought of suffering for nothing, but at the same time he wants to believe she is far away from danger.

Then he sees it – a patch of startling blue in the dark smoke and bright red of the fire. With a direction and object to zone in on, he starts to see the vague outline of a body. "Courtney!" He jolts forward, mindless of the flames. He instantly jumps back and cries out. He grips his face and stumbles, nearly falling over the rug.

_Focus idiot._ He tells himself, he's sure it's him. Yet he hears Courtney's voice in his mind. _There's not much time. This place will come down any minute now._ Duncan lowers his hands and narrows his eyes. He breathes heavily in and out. His head spins. He really does need to hurry. The smoke is finally getting to him. But that's not nearly as frightening as the thought that Courtney must be in dire condition after being stuck in here for so much longer.

Duncan moves quickly, but he pays close attention this time. The flames attack him, but he breaks through to where the blue is. And now he sees her clearly, as clearly as possible in this mess anyway. He dives down to where she leans against the wall and stops suddenly with his hands above her. _She might have burns too._

He looks her over quickly. Miraculously he sees no marks marring her skin. She got to the only place that is not yet being attacked by the fire. But it's still dangerous and they are both very much in danger. "I'll get you out."

He works his way around her and scoops her into his arms. He gasps as she weighs heavy against his damaged skin. He nearly releases her in the sudden onset of agony, but regains a firm grip on her. He swirls around and starts as he sees the way is completely blocked by flames. He swivels back around and peers toward the kitchen.

It is ravaged, but because of that there is not much left to burn. The flames are dullest here. It's the most unstable because of this too, still it's their only chance. He bends Courtney's body inward, her knees pressed up under her chin. He is particularly careful to keep her head close against his chest so there isn't a chance of it leaning out over the flames. He takes another foolishly deep breath and barrels through the remnants of the fire.

It hurts just the same as before and the air is knocked out of him with the shock. His legs tremble beneath him and he crumples to his knees. He coughs and gags on the smoke. Maybe his weakness isn't even from the flames. It could simply be the smoke finally overwhelming him. His vision blurs. The tremors in his legs work up his body until every inch of him is shaking.

_Get up!_ The ceiling is falling around him at this point. "I know…" He squeezes out. "Gotta…go…" He struggles to his feet, falling back down more than once as her added weight throws him off balance. But he eventually manages to stand.

He looks slowly around through a hazy mind and clouded eyes. The door was engulfed when he first came to the house, but now from what he can see the flames have subsided. At least enough for him to get through it.

He knows better than to grab the handle. It will burn him as badly as the flames themselves after absorbing all that heat. He can hardly do it anyway with Courtney in his arms like this. He might have been panicked, but the haze is so heavy now that he can barely think.

This ends up being the highest of blessings. The veil over his emotions keeps him calm enough to allow an idea to break through to his mind. He steps forward, digs his heel into the floor, and kicks the door as hard as he can. It gives way and with another kick he slams it open wide.

He is assaulted by the sounds of sirens and shouting men. He is sure they were always there, but somehow it is only now as he steps out onto the lawn that it registers. The smoke billows out around him as he stands in a only half alert state. The only part that stands out about him in the smog is his startling green hair and Courtney's blue shirt.

"There's someone there!" Someone yells. It comes particularly clearly to Duncan, but he doesn't even turn his head to look at them, whoever they are. A fireman he supposes. He just walks on. The fire on the lawn is out because of those same firemen and he is able to walk numbly on out over the torched ground.

"Young man!" Another voice calls to him. "Hey! Hey! You've gotta go to the hospital." Duncan senses the man right at his side now. Still he keeps his straight path and unmoving gaze forward. "Can you even hear me? Hey!"

"He's probably in shock." Someone else says. Duncan tunes it out then as they start to talk back and forth. He makes his way to the edge of her yard, to a single tree in back. It stands tall and unyielding despite the calamity before it. It's a good place.

Duncan does a slow turnabout. He slumps back against it and stands for a minute. He breathes deeply in and out, sucking in the clear air. It sends him into a coughing fit as he chokes on the air and struggles with the smoke still lingering in his system.

He regains control of his breathing and then slowly sinks down the tree until he is sitting. He closes his eyes for a fleeting moment, then snaps them open again as his mind catches up with the gravity of the situation. He jolts up off the tree, but remains sitting. "Courtney." His voice is strained, his throat tight. "Courtney, can you hear me?"

There is no reply. Courtney's eyes remain closed and her head leans heavily against his chest. Worst of all she is far too still. Duncan's heart beats double time as he sees this and his already troubled breathing becomes further labored. "Courtney," He pulls her away from him and jostles her slightly. "Come on."

The stifled panic rises with force tenfold. He presses his fingers against her neck and holds his breath. He can't feel anything. Fear grips him in a stranglehold. If only he had been faster. If only he'd thought clearer. If only…! A slight movement catches his eye. He jerks his head around to her chest. It's faint, unsettlingly so, but it's there. Her chest moves ever so slightly. So she must be alive.

Duncan lets out a breath and chokes again. Maybe he should get help. He knows she needs it for sure. She's surely suffering from smoke inhalation. Still, he can't get up. The pain of his injuries pulses unbearably and even just falling back against the tree is excruciating. His eyes are heavy with exhaustion and a fog descends on him due to the wave of relief he feels for Courtney being alright.

He sighs softly. He shifts Courtney and cradles her head more carefully. He stares down at her peaceful face. It's probably the most docile he's ever seen her. And it scares him. He's happy, but he's scared. "You'll be ok…" He whispers. He runs his fingers across her cheek. "You'll be ok…"

He says it over and over again as he sits there in an oddly surreal world with her. Nothing pierces his mind, not with the impact it should. The mass of sirens and burning and chaos is soft while the approaching footsteps are sharp and impossible to ignore.

Still, he doesn't move. Not until he hears their voices. And even then it's just a little hole in their bubble of peace. Right now nothing else resonates like the feel of her, so solid and safe in his arms. He just wants it to last. He doesn't want to believe that tomorrow he'll mean nothing again. He's not nothing.

He burned for her.

**So, what did you think? Was it realistic? Horribly unrealistic? Or do you even care BECAUSE DxC IS AMAZING! And because I actually updated. lol I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. So please review! :)**


	20. Aftermath

**I guess this is kind of short. idk. At least it's an update. I hope you enjoy it. :)**

For a minute he doesn't quite hear them. It's dull in the wake of his pounding head and agonizing wounds. They are practically screaming when it finally registers. "Son." He slowly lifts his head and stares through empty eyes at their faces. "We need to take her."

Duncan stares blankly for a moment. He blinks up at them, then says mindlessly, "Yeah…" He nods vaguely. "She's in trouble."

One fireman scoffs. "Not just her. You too. You both need to come with us." He bends down to take Courtney from him.

Duncan immediately pulls away. He narrows his eyes and tenses. His lips curve into a snarl. "No." Just as quickly as his defensiveness rises to the surface it dies back down. His limbs loosen and emptiness settles back on his face. "I…I'll carry her."

One fireman looks reproachfully at him. The other smiles sadly at him and nods. The boy doesn't really need to be putting unnecessary pressure on his burns, but it will be much faster if they let him do this. They don't need resistance right now, when time is of the essence.

Duncan struggles up. He uses the tree as a brace and inches up into a standing position. He nearly collapses halfway up, but manages to catch himself. Finally, with much exertion, he stands before them. His body quivers, but he doesn't let the pain and fatigue overcome him.

"You ready to go?" One asks. He steps to the side to reveal the ambulance waiting by the street. The sirens are especially loud in that moment to them all, even though it's no louder than before.

Duncan leans back against the tree. He breathes heavily in and out. "N…o." He gasps. "Here." He stretches his arms out. "Take her. I…" He shakes his head with much effort. "I can't go. Too…tired."

The fireman steps forward and carefully lifts her from Duncan's arms. "I'll take her." He looks to the other man. "You handle this." He knows that they can't just leave the boy. He needs medical attention just as badly as if not more than the girl.

As the fireman turns to leave, a shrill cry reaches them. All three turn and look up to see a woman and man racing toward them. The woman is farther ahead and reaches them in the next moment. "My baby!" Her shrill voice pierces their ears and makes them cringe.

The man arrives next. "Oh God." He moans. His face twists in terror. "How is she? Is she alright?" His heart beats double time. "W-What's wrong?"

"You idiot." The woman bites. She swivels on him and glares heatedly. "What does it look like? She's not even conscious! Of course she isn't alright!" She chokes up.

The man cringes and shies away. He ducks his head and a deep grimace forms on his lips. "But…" He can't find the words to fight back. He sinks into devastated silence.

The woman turns back to the fireman and Courtney. "I can't believe this." She blubbers. "My baby was perfect. She never did anything wrong. She didn't deserve this." She runs her hands gently over her daughter's face and hair.

"Ma'am." The fireman says. "I know you're upset, but I need to take her. She was exposed to a lot of smoke and needs medical attention." He can only assume this is the mother and father so, "You can come with her."

The woman opens her mouth to respond when the boy behind the firemen catches her eye. "_You_." She hisses.

Duncan looks dully up at her. He tilts his head slightly, uninterestedly. "Huh?" He mutters.

The fireman looks back and forth between them and quickly makes the decision there's no time to wait for this. This looks like it could escalate into a violent, long lasting argument. He just moves around the woman and runs to the ambulance.

The woman narrows her eyes and her lips curve in a snarl. "It was you!" She clenches her hands into fists and they shake fiercely. 'You did this to her!" She springs forward, at him. "You punkass piece of-"

The fireman jumps and places himself firmly between the two. He throws his arms out, holding her back. "Stop it." He growls. He narrows his eyes. "This boy did nothing. He _saved_ your daughter. We saw him walk out of that building with her. The way," He waves his other hand. "The way he looks right now – burned – it happened saving that girl."

The mother breathes heavily in and out. Her chest heaves and her lips curl down sharply. "Scum." She mouths over the fireman's shoulder. She has heard the way her daughter talks about him – at least it must be him – a punk who isn't worth the ground they trod on. She's seen the tears streaking Courtney's face that must tell of the insults thrown her way. It doesn't pass her mind at all that her daughter cries because of her own inner turmoil that many times has little to do with Duncan.

Duncan blinks, unfazed. He supposes he deserves it anyway. He's done so much wrong. And the way his father attacks him, it must be a sign that on some level he deserves all the hate and mistreatment. These burns too. They are an eternal mark of the sins he surely committed, even if only in another life.

The fireman lets out a heavy breath. He slowly turns away from her to face the boy. "Come on kid. We've got to get you to the hospital too."

Duncan slowly lifts his gaze to lock with the fireman's. "Oh." For the first time the gravity of the situation hits him, but not in the way it would a normal person. "Oh!" His eyes widen. "You can't tell my parents." He shakes his head fervently. "You can't!"

Surprise flashes across the fireman's face. He doesn't really have control over that. Surely the hospital will do that whether the boy likes it or not. Still… "I won't." Because he doesn't have to. It's just he has no power to stop anyone else from doing it.

Duncan sighs and drops his head in relief. He smiles weakly, caught somewhere between believing the man and knowing deep down that it's only a comforting lie. Someway, somehow, his parents will find out. He just knows it.

The fireman touches his shoulder lightly. "Come on." He nods over his shoulder to an ambulance. This kid is in as bad a shape as the girl. They don't have time for this.

Duncan nods. "Yeah, ok." He passes the fireman and limps toward the ambulance he indicated. The lights are bright and the wail of the sirens is piercing, more so than any moment before. Without Courtney or her mother or any kind of distraction everything comes so much sharper. He cringes and cover his ears. He wishes it would all just go away, like before.

The fireman helps him in and the people in the ambulance take over. It's a flurry of movement and voices. Duncan doesn't understand half of it. The only thing that pierces the veil is – better off than her. It takes his breath away and makes his muscles stiffen. _No… _He is a doll in their grasps. _Courtney…please be ok._

**…**

They don't let him leave his room. They keep him from her despite his protests. Just another way the universe is against him. He tries to fight once, but his burns prove too much for him against a horde of nurses. And he caves. He gives up and simply hopes and prays for the best. Ha. Praying. Even when he doesn't believe in that nonsense. But he does it nonetheless. Every day.

Courtney wakes up the next day. She wakes to the sight of her mother and father by her bedside. She smiles faintly at the sight of them. She doesn't quite remember anything that happened before. It's all a blur. "Mom…dad…" She coughs. "What…where am I?" She looks through half open eyes at the room around her. It's mostly white – definitely not her room – and it has a scent of antiseptics.

Her father opens his mouth to speak, but her mother jumps ahead of him. "Oh, honey, it was awful. The house caught on fire and you were trapped inside." Her heart beats faster at the mere thought, "I-I thought I would lose you." Her throat tightens.

Courtney gasps. _That's right!_ She was making macaroni and-and…! She flinches and her hand snaps to her arms. It was so hot in the house. Then…then what? She can't remember. She cringes and hisses, her head pounding. Her hands snap to her head and she grips it. "How…how did I get out?" She doesn't remember her parents being there. She doesn't remember anyone being there. That's why the bits and pieces she recalls are so frightening.

Her mother reaches out and tenderly strokes her daughter's cheek. "Your father got you out."

Her father starts. _What?_ He catches his wife's eye though and doesn't dare vocalize his disbelief. He presses his lips firmly together and averts his eyes.

Courtney pulls back. "What?" Her father doesn't need to say anything. After years of living with her mother and the dysfunctional workings that is her relationship with everyone she understands the unspoken. "No…" She shakes her head slowly. "No way. You," She points back and forth at the two of them. "You both were gone. You can't be the ones who saved me."

Her mother strains a smile. "Sweetie, you lost track of time. We were on our way back when it happened." She reaches for Courtney.

Courtney smacks her hand away. She scowls. "**No**. Who really saved me?" She locks eyes with her mother. While her father is easier to intimidate, there's no chance of it when her mother is in the room. Maybe later, maybe when they're alone. If her mother will allow that.

Fire flashes in her mother's eyes. Her lips curl downward. "Your father." She says through clenched teeth. She snatches at her daughter's wrist. "There was no one else there. Got it?" She squeezes tight.

Courtney cringes and suppresses a whine. She's all too used to such intimidation tactics. Showing pain will only let her mother win. "Yes mother." She squeezes out. But that doesn't mean she's giving up. She'll find this out. Once she gets out of here, she'll solve this mystery. She swears.

Her mother gradually loosens her hold. She leans back. "Good girl." She's no fool though. She sees the resolve as much as senses it wafting off of her daughter. It won't be long before she discovers the truth. Then what? She'll have to cut this off at the source she supposes. When the time comes.

**What did you think? A bit disappointing? Sorry they didn't really interact. Next time, whenever next time is, will be better. It might be the finale. It all depends.**


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